I know a pair of eyes, that, as gently

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by Eduard Maria Oettinger (1808 - 1872)

Translation © by Sharon Krebs

Ich kenn ein Auge

(Sung text for setting by A. Reichardt)

See original

Language: German (Deutsch)

Our translations: ENG

Ich kenn' ein Auge, das, so mild,
Und glänzend wie ein Sternenbild,
Voll Huld auf mich hernieder sieht
Und mich hinauf zum Himmel zieht.
Dort prangt ein Stern so hell und rein
Wie jenes Auges Sonnenschein . . .
Du liebes Aug', Du lieber Stern,
Du bist mir nah' und doch so fern.

 ...

Note: the text above is taken from stanza 1 of the original text.

Composition:

Alexander Reichardt

Text Authorship:

by Eduard Maria Oettinger (1808 - 1872), "Zwölftes Lied", appears in Neues Buch der Liebe

See other settings of this text.

Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):

ENG English (Sharon Krebs) , copyright © 2026, (re)printed on this website with kind permission

Research team for this page: Emily Ezust [Administrator] , Sharon Krebs [Senior Associate Editor], Johann Winkler

This text was added to the website: 2011-09-04
Line count: 40
Word count: 252

I know a [pair of] eyes

(Sung text translation for setting by A. Reichardt)

See original

Language: English after the German (Deutsch)

I know a pair of eyes, that, as gently
And radiantly as constellation of stars, 
Looks down upon me beneficently
And draws me upward to heaven.
There a star stands resplendent, as brightly and purely
As the sunshine of those eyes . . .
You dear eyes, you dear star,
You are near me and yet so distant.

 ...

Note: the text above is taken from stanza 1 of the original text.

Text Authorship:

Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2026 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.
Contact: licenses@email.lieder.example.net

Based on:

a text in German (Deutsch) by Eduard Maria Oettinger (1808 - 1872), "Zwölftes Lied", appears in Neues Buch der Liebe
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This text was added to the website: 2026-03-01
Line count: 40
Word count: 295