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Der Mond ist aufgegangen,
Die goldnen Sternlein prangen
Am Himmel hell und klar.
Der Wald steht schwarz und schweiget,
Und aus den Wiesen steiget
Der weisse Nebel wunderbar.
Wie ist die Welt so stille,
Und in der Dämmrung Hülle
So traulich und so hold!
Als eine stille Kammer,
Wo ihr des Tages Jammer
Verschlafen und vergessen sollt.
Seht ihr den Mond dort stehen? -
Er ist nur halb zu sehen,
Und ist doch rund und schön!
So sind wohl manche Sachen,
Die wir getrost belachen,
Weil unsre Augen sie nicht sehn.
Wir stolze Menschenkinder
Sind eitel arme Sünder,
Und wissen gar nicht viel.
Wir spinnen Luftgespinnste
Und suchen viele Künste,
Und kommen weiter von dem Ziel.
Gott, laß dein Heil uns schauen,
Auf nichts Vergänglichs trauen,
Nicht Eitelkeit uns freun!
Laß uns einfältig werden,
Und vor dir hier auf Erden
Wie Kinder fromm und fröhlich seyn!
...
Note: the text above is taken from stanzas 1-5 of the original text.
Notes: Herder's Volkslieder prints only the first five stanzas, and Claudius (in his ASMUS complete edition) separates the first five stanzas with three asterisks from the remaining two.
Stanza 1, Line 2 is a quotation from Paul Gerhardt's 'Nun ruhen alle Wälder' (a text in the same verse form used by Claudius here)
In Dalberg's score, stanza 1, line 5, word 5 is a typo ("Wolken")
Composition:
- Set to music by Friedrich Gernsheim (1839 - 1916), "Abendlied", subtitle: "Aus Herder's Stimmen der Völker", published 1903, stanzas 1-5 [ voice and piano ], in the collection Im Volkston: moderne Volkslieder komponiert für Die Woche, Druck und Verlag von August Scherl G.m.b.H. Berlin
Text Authorship:
- by Matthias Claudius (1740 - 1815), "Abendlied"
See other settings of this text.
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- CAT Catalan (Català) (Salvador Pila) , copyright © 2018, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- DUT Dutch (Nederlands) [singable] (Lau Kanen) , "Avondlied", copyright © 2006, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- ENG English (Emily Ezust) , "Evening Song", copyright ©
- ENG English (Bertram Kottmann) , "Evening song", copyright © 2006, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- FRE French (Français) (Guy Laffaille) , "Chant du soir", copyright © 2010, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- ITA Italian (Italiano) (Ferdinando Albeggiani) , "Canto della sera", copyright © 2008, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Research team for this page: Emily Ezust [Administrator] , Malcolm Wren [Guest Editor] , Peter Rastl [Guest Editor]
This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 43
Word count: 209
The moon has risen,
the tiny golden stars shine
in the heavens bright and clear;
the forest stands dark and silent,
and from the meadows climbs
a wondrous white mist.
How still is the world,
and in the veil of twilight,
as comfortable and lovely
as a quiet chamber,
where the misery of the day
you will sleep away and forget.
Do you see the moon standing there?
There is only half of it to see,
and yet it is round, and fair!
So it is with many things
that we mock confidently,
Because our eyes see them not.
We proud children of man
are vain, poor sinners
and we know nothing well.
We spin airy nothings
and search for many arts,
but we merely move further from our goal.
God, show us Salvation!
Make us aspire after nothing transitory
and rejoice not in vanity!
Let us become simple,
and before You here on earth,
let us become as pious and joyous as children!
...
Note: the text above is taken from stanzas 1-5 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 ArchiveFor any other purpose, please write to the e-mail address below to request permission and discuss possible fees.
licenses@email.lieder.example.net
Based on:
- a text in German (Deutsch) by Matthias Claudius (1740 - 1815), "Abendlied"
Go to the general single-text view
This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 43
Word count: 232