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Du hast ja lang dein Herz vorausgesendet
Hast es der ew'gen Heimat zugewendet,--
Und doch empfandest du oft leises Grauen:
"O furchtbar muß es sein, den Tod zu schauen!"
Nun ist der ernste Bote still gekommen;
Wie träumend hat der Herr dich heimgenommen,
Und ohne Kampf gingst du zur letzten Ruh.
O gute Nacht! geliebte Mutter, du!
Heim zog dich's, heim! Mit sehnlichem Verlangen!
Ob sie mit Liebe draußen dich umfangen!
Das war der Zug der rechten Heimat zu.
Gut' Nacht! Schlaf wohl! Du treue Mutter du!
Und ist's vorbei mit unserm Glück und Lieben?
...
Doch eine Stimme spricht uns tröstlich zu:
Für Gottes Volk bereit ist eine Ruh.
Sie werden bei dem Herrn sein alle Zeit,
Nicht Leid, nicht Thränen mehr in Ewigkeit;
So schließ' getrost die treuen Augen zu,
Gut' Nacht, gut' Nacht, o liebe Mutter du!
Note: the text above is taken from stanzas 1-2, 3 (lines 1,3-4), 4 of the original text.
Note (provided by Sharon Krebs): Ottilie Wildermuth's poems were not published until after her death. Josephine Lang knew her personally and obtained the texts of her songs directly from the poet. Therefore the changes noted below in the footnotes might not be Lang's, but rather earlier versions by Wildermuth herself.
Note for stanza 3, line 1, word 8 ("Lieben") : in one of Lang's manuscripts, this appears erroneously as "Liebe".
Composition:
- Set to music by Josephine Lang (1815 - 1880), "Der lieben Mutter zur guten Nacht!", 1874, stanzas 1-2, 3 (lines 1,3-4), 4 [ voice and piano ], unpublished
Text Authorship:
- by Ottilie Wildermuth (1817 - 1877), no title, written 1874, appears in Mein Liederbuch, in Haus und Heimat, in Der Mutter, no. 5
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Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- ENG English (Sharon Krebs) , copyright © 2017, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Research team for this page: Emily Ezust [Administrator] , Sharon Krebs [Senior Associate Editor]
This text was added to the website: 2017-01-29
Line count: 16
Word count: 126
You have long sent your heart on ahead,
You turned it toward its eternal home,--
And yet, you often felt quiet dread:
"Oh, it must be terrible to meet death!"
Now silently the solemn messenger has come;
As in a dream, the Lord has taken you home,
And without a struggle you went to your final rest.
Oh good night! you beloved mother!
Homeward it drew you, homeward! With sincere longing!
If they embrace you with love out there!
That was the yearning turned toward the true home.
Good night! Sleep well! You faithful mother, you!
And is it over with our happiness and love?
...
But a voice speaks comfortingly to us:
There remaineth a rest to the people of God.
They shall be with the Lord for all time,
No suffering, no more tears in eternity;
So close your faithful eyes confidently,
Good night, good night, oh dear mother!
Note: the text above is taken from stanzas 1-2, 3 (lines 1,3-4), 4 of the original text.
Text Authorship:
- Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2017 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 Ottilie Wildermuth (1817 - 1877), no title, written 1874, appears in Mein Liederbuch, in Haus und Heimat, in Der Mutter, no. 5
Go to the general single-text view
This text was added to the website: 2017-01-29
Line count: 16
Word count: 135