by Thomas Moore (1779 - 1852)
Translation by Hermann Kurz (1813 - 1873)
Oft in the stilly night
Language: English
Oft in the stilly night,
Ere slumber's chain has bound me,
Fond Memory brings the light
Of other days around me;
The smiles, the tears,
Of boyhood's years,
The words of love then spoken;
The eyes that shone,
Now dimmed and gone,
The cheerful hearts now broken!
Thus in the stilly night,
Ere slumber's chain has bound me,
Sad Memory brings the light
Of other days around me.
When I remember all
The friends so linked together
I've seen around me fall,
Like leaves in wintry weather,
I feel like one
Who treads alone
Some banquet-hall deserted,
Whose lights are fled,
Whose garlands dead,
And all but he departed!
Thus in the stilly night,
Ere slumber's chain has bound me,
Sad Memory brings the light
Of other days around me.
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View text with all available footnotesConfirmed with A Library of Poetry and Song: Being Choice Selections from the Best Poets. With an Introduction by William Cullen Bryant, New York, J. B. Ford and Company, 1871, page 227.
Text Authorship:
- by Thomas Moore (1779 - 1852), "Oft in the stilly night", appears in National Airs, first published 1818 [author's text checked 1 time against a primary source]
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Research team for this page: Emily Ezust [Administrator] , Robert Grady
This text was added to the website: 2004-06-13
Line count: 28
Word count: 132
Oft in der stillen Nacht
NOTE: the footnotes have been removed from this text; return to general view
Language: German (Deutsch)  after the English
Oft in der stillen Nacht, Eh' Schlummer band die Glieder, Bringt vor'ger Tage Pracht Ein süß' Erinnern wieder. Bringt Freud' und Leid Der Jugendzeit, Da Lieb' zu Lieb' gesprochen; Der Augen Tag, Der Herzen Schlag, Die längst im Tod gebrochen. So bringt in stiller Nacht, Eh' Schlummer band die Glieder, Mir vor'ger Tage Pracht Ein herb' Erinnern wieder. Der Freunde denk' ich da, So innig einst gesellet, Die ich vom Tode sah Wie Laub im Herbst gefället. Mir däucht's zu sein So ganz allein In öder Festeshalle; Die Gäste fort, Der Schmuck verdorrt, Gelöscht die Lichter alle. So bringt in stiller Nacht, Eh' Schlummer band die Glieder, Mir vor'ger Tage Pracht Ein herb' Erinnern wieder.
View text with all available footnotes
Researcher for this page: Melanie Trumbull
Confirmed with Hermann Kurz, Gesammelte Werke, erster Band, ed. by Paul Heyse, Stuttgart: A. Kröner, 1874, pages 22 - 23. Appears in Gedichte, in Lieder.
Text Authorship:
- by Hermann Kurz (1813 - 1873), "Oft in der stillen Nacht", subtitle: "Schottische Melodie" [author's text checked 1 time against a primary source]
Based on:
- a text in English by Thomas Moore (1779 - 1852), "Oft in the stilly night", appears in National Airs, first published 1818
Go to the general view
Researcher for this page: Melanie Trumbull
This text was added to the website: 2021-02-10
Line count: 28
Word count: 120