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Von dem Berge zu den Hügeln, Niederab das Tal entlang, Da erklingt es wie von Flügeln, Da bewegt sichs wie Gesang; Und dem unbedingten Triebe Folget Freude, folget Rat, Und dein Streben, sei's in Liebe! Und dein Leben sei die Tat. Denn die Bande sind zerrissen, Das Vertrauen ist verletzt; Kann ich sagen, kann ich wissen, Welchem Zufall ausgesetzt, Ich nun scheiden, ich nun wandern, Wie die Witwe trauervoll, Statt dem Einen, mit dem Andern Fort und fort mich wenden soll! Bleibe nicht am Boden heften, Frisch gewagt und frisch hinaus! Kopf und Arm mit heitern Kräften, Überall sind sie zu Haus; Wo wir uns der Sonne freuen, Sind wir jede Sorge los, Daß wir uns in ihr zerstreuen, Darum ist die Welt so groß.
O. Gerster sets stanzas 1, 3
F. Hensel sets stanzas 1, 3
Text Authorship:
- by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749 - 1832), "Wanderlied", appears in Wilhelm Meisters Wanderjahre, Book 3, Chapter 1 [author's text checked 1 time against a primary source]
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
- by Ottmar Gerster (1897 - 1969), "Wanderlied", stanzas 1,3 [sung text checked 1 time]
- by Gustav Hecht (1851 - 1932), "Wanderlied", op. 26 (Sechs Lieder für gemischten Chor) no. 1, published 1890 [ mixed chorus a cappella ], Berlin, Sulzbach [sung text not yet checked]
- by Fanny Hensel (1805 - 1847), "Wanderlied", op. 1 (Sechs Lieder) no. 2 (1837?), stanzas 1,3 [sung text checked 1 time]
- by Mathilde von Kralik (1857 - 1944), "Wanderlied", published 1899 [ voice and piano ], from Jugend-Lieder, no. 12, Wien : Albert J. Gutmann [sung text checked 1 time]
- by Franz Rudolph , "Wanderlied", op. 3 (Vier Lieder für 1 Singstimme mit Pianofortebegleitung) no. 4, published 1899 [ voice and piano ], Innsbruck, Gross [sung text not yet checked]
Settings in other languages, adaptations, or excerpts:
- Also set in English, a translation by Thomas Carlyle (1795 - 1881) , "Traveller's song" [an adaptation] ; composed by Felix Harold White.
Other available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- DUT Dutch (Nederlands) [singable] (Lau Kanen) , "Trekkerslied", copyright © 2017, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- ENG English (Emily Ezust) , "Wandering song", copyright © 2024
- FRE French (Français) (Guy Laffaille) , "Chant du voyageur", copyright © 2014, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 24
Word count: 125
From the mountain to the hills, and throughout the valley, something resounds as if on wings, something is stirring like a song! And to absolute impulse joy yields, reason yields; and let your striving be for love! And let your life be the deed. Because the bonds have been broken, trust has been violated; can I say, can I even know, exposed to which whims of fate I shall now depart, I shall now wander, shall, like a widow in mourning, replacing one with another, turn farther and farther away. Do not stay pinned to the floor - be fresh and daring, and go on your way, head and arm full of cheerful strength; everywhere we are at home! Wherever the sun delights us, we are free of every care; that we may scatter within it is the reason the world is so huge.
With thanks to Johann Winkler for some helpful explanations.
Text Authorship:
- Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2024 by Emily Ezust
Emily Ezust permits her translations to be reproduced without prior permission for printed (not online) programs to free-admission concerts only, provided the following credit is given:
Translation copyright © by Emily Ezust,
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Based on:
- a text in German (Deutsch) by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749 - 1832), "Wanderlied", appears in Wilhelm Meisters Wanderjahre, Book 3, Chapter 1
This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 24
Word count: 143