by Friedrich Rückert (1788 - 1866)
Translation © by Emily Ezust

Mitternacht
 (Sung text for setting by F. Hiller)
 See original
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Our translations:  CAT ENG FIN FRE ITA NOR POL POR SPA SWE
Um Mitternacht
Hab' ich gewacht
Und aufgeblickt gen Himmel;
Kein Stern am Sterngewimmel
Hat mir gelacht
Um Mitternacht.

Um Mitternacht
Hab' ich gedacht
Hinaus in dunkle Schranken.
Es hat kein Lichtgedanken
Mir Trost gebracht
Um Mitternacht.

Um Mitternacht
Nahm ich in Acht
Die Schläge meines Herzens;
Ein einz'ger Puls der Schmerzen
War angefacht
Um Mitternacht.

 ... 

Um Mitternacht
Hab' ich die Macht
In deine Hand gegeben!
Herr über Tod und Leben
Du hältst die Wacht
Um Mitternacht!

Note: the text above is taken from stanzas 1-3,5 of the original text.

Composition:

    Set to music by Ferdinand von Hiller (1811 - 1885), "Mitternacht", op. 129 no. 9, published 1867, stanzas 1-3,5 [ alto and piano ], Bremen, Cranz

Text Authorship:

See other settings of this text.

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

  • CAT Catalan (Català) (Salvador Pila) , "A mitjanit", copyright © 2013, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
  • ENG English (Emily Ezust) , "At midnight", copyright ©
  • FIN Finnish (Suomi) (Erkki Pullinen) , "Keskiyöllä", copyright © 2009, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
  • FRE French (Français) (Guy Laffaille) , copyright © 2009, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
  • ITA Italian (Italiano) (Ferdinando Albeggiani) , "A mezzanotte", copyright © 2009, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
  • NOR Norwegian (Bokmål) (Marianne Beate Kielland) , copyright © 2018, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
  • POL Polish (Polski) (Alicja Istigniejew) , "Północ", copyright © 2013, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
  • POR Portuguese (Português) (Caê Vieira) , copyright © 2019, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
  • SPA Spanish (Español) (Elena María Accinelli) , "A medianoche", copyright © 2007, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
  • SWE Swedish (Svenska) (Yvonne Helander) , "Vid midnatt", copyright © 2006, (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: 30
Word count: 100

Language: English  after the German (Deutsch) 
 At midnight
 I awoke
 and gazed up to heaven;
 No star in the entire mass
 did smile down at me
 at midnight.

 At midnight
 I projected my thoughts
 out past the dark barriers.
 No thought of light
 brought me comfort
 at midnight.

 At midnight
 I paid close attention
 to the beating of my heart;
 One single pulse of agony
 flared up
 at midnight.

 ... 

 At midnight
 I surrendered my strength
 into your hands!
 Lord! over death and life
 You keep watch
 at midnight!

Note: the text above is taken from stanzas 1-3,5 of the original text.

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 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,
    from the LiederNet Archive

    For any other purpose, please write to the e-mail address below to request permission and discuss possible fees.


Based on:

Go to the general single-text view


This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 30
Word count: 104