Die stille Stadt
Language: German (Deutsch)
Our translations: ENG FIN FRE
Liegt eine Stadt im Tale,
ein blasser Tag vergeht;
es wird nicht lange dauern mehr,
bis weder Mond noch Sterne
nur Nacht am Himmel steht.
Von allen Bergen drücken
Nebel auf die Stadt;
es dringt kein Dach, nicht Hof noch Haus,
kein Laut aus ihrem Rauch heraus,
kaum Türme noch und Brücken.
Doch als den Wandrer graute,
da ging ein Lichtlein auf im Grund;
und durch den Rauch und Nebel
begann ein leiser Lobgesang
aus Kindermund.
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Confirmed with Richard Dehmel Hundert ausgewählte Gedichte, Berlin: S. Fischer Verlag, 1909, page 110.
Text Authorship:
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Research team for this page: Emily Ezust
[Administrator] , Jakob Kellner , Sharon Krebs
[Senior Associate Editor], Johann Winkler
This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 15
Word count: 85
Language: English after the German (Deutsch)
A town lies in the valley,
a pallid day fades;
it will not be long now
before neither moon nor stars
but only night will be seen in the sky.
From all the mountains
fog presses down upon the town;
no roof may be discerned, no yard nor house,
no sound penetrates through the smoke,
barely even a tower or a bridge.
But as the traveller became filled with dread
a little light shone out;
and through the smoke and fog
a quiet song of praise began,
sung by children.
View text with all available footnotes
Text Authorship:
- Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2020 by Sharon Krebs, (re)printed on this website with kind permission. To reprint and distribute this author's work for concert programs, CD booklets, etc., you may ask the copyright-holder(s) directly or ask us; we are authorized to grant permission on their behalf. Please provide the translator's name when contacting us.
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Based on:
Go to the general view
This text was added to the website: 2015-03-04
Line count: 15
Word count: 95
