I am riding into the dark land

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by Johann Ludwig Uhland (1787 - 1862)

Translation © by Malcolm Wren

Nachtreise

(Sung text for setting by M. Zenger)

See original

Language: German (Deutsch)

Our translations: ENG FRE

Ich reit' ins finstre Land hinein, 
Nicht Mond noch Sterne geben Schein, 
Die kalten Winde tosen. 
Oft hab' ich diesen Weg gemacht, 
Wann goldner Sonnenschein gelacht, 
Und lauer Lüfte Kosen.

Ich reit' am finstern Garten hin, 
Die dürren Bäume sausen drin, 
Die welken Blätter fallen. 
Hier pflegt' ich in der Rosenzeit, 
Wann alles sich der Liebe weiht, 
Mit meinem Lieb zu wallen.

Erloschen ist der Sonne Strahl, 
Verwelkt die Rosen allzumal, 
Mein Lieb zu Grab' getragen. 
Ich reit' ins finstre Land hinein 
Im Wintersturm, ohn' allen Schein, 
Den Mantel umgeschlagen.

Note for stanza 1, line 3: in the setting by Lenz, "tosen" becomes "sausen" in the repetition.

Composition:

Max Zenger

Text Authorship:

by Johann Ludwig Uhland (1787 - 1862), "Nachtreise", written 1811, appears in Lieder, in Wanderlieder, no. 5, first published 1815

See other settings of this text.

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

ENG English (Malcolm Wren) , copyright © 2020, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
FRE French (Français) (Pierre Mathé) , "Voyage de nuit", copyright © 2009, (re)printed on this website with kind permission

Research team for this page: Emily Ezust [Administrator] , Johann Winkler

This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 18
Word count: 96

Journey at night

(Sung text translation for setting by M. Zenger)

See original

Language: English after the German (Deutsch)

I am riding into the dark land,
Neither moon nor stars offer any light,
The cold winds are roaring.
I have often taken this track
When golden sunlight was smiling down,
With the caress of gentle breezes.

I am riding towards the dark garden,
The barren trees are rustling within it,
The faded leaves are falling.
Here I busied myself at the time of roses,
When everything was dedicated to love,
Spending time with my love.

The sun's beams have been extinguished,
Every one of the roses has withered,
My love has been carried to the grave.
I am riding into the dark land,
In the winter storm, without any light,
With my coat turned up.

Text Authorship:

Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2020 by Malcolm Wren, (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 Johann Ludwig Uhland (1787 - 1862), "Nachtreise", written 1811, appears in Lieder, in Wanderlieder, no. 5, first published 1815
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This text was added to the website: 2020-04-20
Line count: 18
Word count: 116