I often think of the vast ocean

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by Gottfried Keller (1819 - 1890)

Translation © by Sharon Krebs

Ich denke oft an's blaue Meer

(Sung text for setting by A. Kleffel)

See original

Language: German (Deutsch)

Our translations: ENG

Ich denke oft ans blaue Meer
Und hab' es nie geschaut;
Und hab' ihm doch so lange schon
Mein kleines Lied vertraut.
Das macht: ich kenn es besser,
Als mancher Seemann wohl,
Wie man in seine Tiefe
Mit Andacht schauen soll.

Und fern mir, wie die Meeresflut,
Geht deines Herzens Schlag,
Den innerlich in stiller Nacht
Ich lauschend hören mag.
Es ist dein Herz ein Spiegel
Von Erdduft überhaucht,
Darein Gott oft beschaulich
Und tief sein Auge taucht.

Composition:

Arno Kleffel

Im Volkston: moderne Volkslieder komponiert für Die Woche

Text Authorship:

by Gottfried Keller (1819 - 1890), "An George Sand", written 1845

See other settings of this text.

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

ENG English (Sharon Krebs) , copyright © 2021, (re)printed on this website with kind permission

Research team for this page: Sharon Krebs [Senior Associate Editor], Harry Joelson

This text was added to the website: 2012-02-22
Line count: 16
Word count: 80

I often think of the blue ocean

(Sung text translation for setting by A. Kleffel)

See original

Language: English after the German (Deutsch)

I often think of the blue ocean
And have never seen it;
And yet for such a long time I have
Entrusted my small song to it.
That is because I know it better
Than many a seaman,
How one should look into its depths
With reverence.

And far from me, like the waters of the sea,
The beating of your heart goes on,
To which in the quiet night I like
To listen inwardly.
Your heart is a mirror
Frosted with the scent of earth,
In which God often submerges
His gaze, contemplatively and deeply.

Translations of title(s):
"An George Sand" = "To George Sand"
"Ich denke oft an's blaue Meer" = "I often think of the blue ocean"

Text Authorship:

Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2021 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 Gottfried Keller (1819 - 1890), "An George Sand", written 1845
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This text was added to the website: 2021-07-06
Line count: 16
Word count: 98