Es singt in tiefem Tone
In mir, so schwer und an Gold so reich,
Ich bin einem mächtigen Herrn gleich,
Ein König in Mantel und Krone.
Lehnt stumm die Nacht an die Scheiben,
Dann singt mir der Goldlaut durch Herz und Hirn,
Verschlingt die Gedanken von Firn zu Firn
Hinaus in das Weltentreiben,
Und trägt mich zu fremden Borden,
Wo Sterne im Reigen beisammen stehn.
Es will mir das Herz vor Glück fastvergehen,
Zu brausenden, langen Akkorden.
Available sung texts: (what is this?)
• J. Marx View text with all available footnotes
Copied from
Die Lyrik des Auslandes in neuerer Zeit, ed. Hans Bethge, Leipzig: Max Hesses Verlag, 1907, page 260.
Text Authorship:
Based on:
- a text in Norwegian (Bokmål) by Knut Hamsun (1859 - 1952), "Tonen"
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Research team for this page: Ferdinando Albeggiani , Sharon Krebs
[Senior Associate Editor]This text was added to the website: 2008-04-26
Line count: 12
Word count: 83
Within me there sings with a deep tone,
So weightily and so rich with gold.
I am like a mighty lord,
A king in robe and crown.
When night leans mutely against the windowpanes,
Then the golden sound sings through my heart and my mind,
Swallowing my thoughts from one of the snows of yesteryear to another
Out into the bustle of the world.
And carries me to foreign shores,
Where the stars stand together in a dance.
My heart almost wants to dissolve for happiness,
Dissolve into stormy, long chords.
Available sung text translations: ← What is this?
• J. Marx 