Inspiration | Nuit. Obscurité. Dans mes mains lasses

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by Hermann Hesse (1877 - 1962)

Translation © by Pierre Mathé

Inspiration

(Sung text for setting by J. Wetzel)

See original

Language: German (Deutsch)

Our translations: CAT ENG FRE

Nacht. Finsternis. In müder Hand
Laß ich von Tages lautem Tun
Abwärts zur ew'gen Nacht gewandt
Die Stirne ruhn.
Wie still! Wie ohne Laut die Weite!
Kaum rauscht im Weg ein welkes Blatt,
Der Wolken dunkle Reise hat
Nicht Mond, nicht Sterne zum Geleite.
Langsam entgleitet meiner Brust
Der arge Stachel, unbewußt
Streift alles, was sie tags umgab,
Die Seele ab.
Was Tröstliches und Liebes ihr bekannt,
Tritt aus des Traumes Wunderheimatland
Vertraut hervor und neigt sich über sie.
O Seelentrösterin, sei mir willkommen,
Du Ahnungsvolle, deren Melodie
So oft den Alp von meiner Brust genommen!
Auf deine Stimme laß mich wieder,
Traumtiefer Born geschmückter Lieder,
Auf deiner Silbersaiten Rauschen
Entrückt und traumverloren lauschen!

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Composition:

Justus Hermann Wetzel

Text Authorship:

by Hermann Hesse (1877 - 1962), "Inspiration", written 1902

See other settings of this text.

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

CAT Catalan (Català) (Salvador Pila) , "Inspiració", copyright © 2025, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
ENG English (Sharon Krebs) , "Inspiration", copyright © 2014, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
FRE French (Français) (Pierre Mathé) , "Inspiration", copyright © 2017, (re)printed on this website with kind permission

Researcher for this page: Sharon Krebs [Senior Associate Editor]

This text was added to the website: 2014-09-04
Line count: 22
Word count: 115

Inspiration

(Sung text translation for setting by J. Wetzel)

See original

Language: French (Français) after the German (Deutsch)

Nuit. Obscurité. Dans mes mains lasses,
Après la sonore activité du jour,
Face à la nuit éternelle,
Je laisse  mon front tomber et se reposer.
Quel calme ! Que ce lieu est sans bruit !
Une feuille morte chuinte à peine sur le chemin.
Dans leur obscur voyage les nuages
N'ont ni lune ni étoile pour les accompagner.
Lentement s'échappe de ma poitrine,
La méchante épine ; inconsciemment
Tout ce qui durant le jour l'encerclait
Se détache de mon âme.
Tout ce qu'elle connaît du réconfort et de l'amour
Émerge du merveilleux pays du rêve,
Et se penche familièrement sur elle.
Ô consolatrice de l'âme, sois la bienvenue,
Toi, chargée de prémonitions, dont la mélodie
A si souvent saisi d'angoisse mon âme !
Laisse moi à nouveau écouter ta voix,
Profond puits onirique de chants chamarrés,
Et écouter la musique de tes cordes d'argent,
Transporté et perdu dans le rêve.

Text Authorship:

Translation from German (Deutsch) to French (Français) copyright © 2017 by Pierre Mathé, (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 Hermann Hesse (1877 - 1962), "Inspiration", written 1902
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This text was added to the website: 2017-02-08
Line count: 22
Word count: 146