Sommernächte, süßes Leben,
Wenn sich Hand in Hand verspürt,
Lippen zueinander streben,
Herz an Herz sich schwellend rührt!
Knabe, sprich, und du kannst's tragen,
Noch allein zu sein so spät,
Wenn der Nachtigallen Schlagen
Durch die lauen Lüfte geht?
Wenn du wüßtest, was ich dächte,
Wüßtest, wer jetzt harret dein,--
In das kleine Fenster brächte
Dich ein kecker Schritt herein!
Composition:
Set to music by Gustav Jenner (1865 - 1920), "Sommernachtsseufzer", 1908 [ voice and piano ], unpublished; manuscript at the Hessisches Musikarchiv
Text Authorship:
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Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- ENG English (Sharon Krebs) , "Sigh of a summer night", copyright © 2016, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Researcher for this page: Sharon Krebs
[Senior Associate Editor]This text was added to the website: 2016-02-08
Line count: 12
Word count: 65
Summer nights, sweet life,
When a hand feels itself held by another,
When lips strive toward one another,
And heart moves, swelling, against heart!
Lad, tell me, and you can bear it
To be all alone still so late,
When the jugging of the nightingale
Pass through the warm breezes?
If you knew what I was thinking,
Knew who is now awaiting you, --
A bold step would bring you
In through the little window!
