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It is illegal to copy and distribute our copyright-protected material without permission. It is also illegal to reprint copyright texts or translations without the name of the author or translator.

To inquire about permissions and rates, contact Emily Ezust at licenses@email.lieder.example.net

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Note: You must use the copyright symbol © when you reprint copyright-protected material.

by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749 - 1832)
Translation © by Lau Kanen

Der Fischer
 (Sung text for setting by A. Mergner)
 See original
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Our translations:  CAT DUT ENG FRE GRE ITA TUR
Das Wasser rauscht', das Wasser schwoll,
Ein Fischer saß daran,
Sah nach dem Angel ruhevoll,
Kühl bis ans Herz hinan.
Und wie er sitzt und wie er lauscht,
Theilt sich die Fluth empor;
Aus dem bewegten Wasser rauscht
Ein feuchtes Weib hervor.

Sie sang zu ihm, sie sprach zu ihm:
Was lockst du meine Brut
Mit Menschenwitz und Menschenlist
Hinauf in Todesgluth?
Ach wüßtest du, wie's Fischlein ist
So wohlig auf dem Grund,
Du stiegst herunter wie du bist
Und würdest erst gesund.

Labt sich die liebe Sonne nicht,
Der Mond sich nicht im Meer?
Kehrt wellenathmend ihr Gesicht
Nicht doppelt schöner her?
Lockt dich der tiefe Himmel nicht,
Das feuchtverklärte Blau?
Lockt dich dein eigen Angesicht
Nicht her in ew'gen Thau?

Das Wasser rauscht', das Wasser schwoll,
Netzt' ihm den nackten Fuß;
Sein Herz wuchs ihm so sehnsuchtsvoll
Wie bei der Liebsten Gruß.
Sie sprach zu ihm, sie sang zu ihm;
Da war's um ihn geschehn:
Halb zog sie ihn, halb sank er hin,
Und ward nie mehr gesehn.

Note: the Eberwein score has a likely misprint in stanza 1, line 8, word 4: "empor".

Composition:

    Set to music by Adam Christoph Friedrich Mergner (1818 - 1891), "Der Fischer" [ voice and piano ], from Sechs Lieder für eine Singstimme mit Begleitung des Piano-Forte, no. 1

Text Authorship:

  • by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749 - 1832), "Der Fischer", written 1778?, first published 1779

See other settings of this text.

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

  • CAT Catalan (Català) (Salvador Pila) , "El pescador", copyright © 2016, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
  • CZE Czech (Čeština) (Karel Dostál-Lutinov) , "Rybář", first published 1917
  • DUT Dutch (Nederlands) [singable] (Lau Kanen) , "De visser", copyright © 2005, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
  • ENG English (Emily Ezust) , "The fisherman", copyright ©
  • FRE French (Français) (Pierre Mathé) , "Le pêcheur", copyright © 2009, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
  • GRE Greek (Ελληνικά) [singable] (Christakis Poumbouris) , "Ο ψαράς", copyright © 2018, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
  • ITA Italian (Italiano) (Amelia Maria Imbarrato) , "Il pescatore", copyright © 2010, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
  • TUR Turkish (Türkçe) (Gül Sabar) , "Balıkçı", copyright © 2012, (re)printed on this website with kind permission


Research team for this page: Emily Ezust [Administrator] , Peter Rastl [Guest Editor] , Johann Winkler

This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 32
Word count: 174

De visser
 (Sung text translation for setting by A. Mergner)
 See original
Language: Dutch (Nederlands)  after the German (Deutsch) 
Het water bruist', het water zwol,
Een visser zat daaraan,
Keek naar de hengel aandachtsvol,
Koel als een indiaan.
Terwijl hij zit, terwijl hij loert,
Splijt 'n vloedgolf in een boog:
Het kolkend wilde water voert
Een natte vrouw omhoog.

Zij zong hem toe, zij sprak tot hem:
"Waarom lok je mijn kroost,
met mensenlist naar 'n wisse dood
en laat mij zonder troost?
Ach, wist je maar hoe 't visje leeft,
In 't donk're diep zo fijn.
Jij daalde af, zowaar je leeft,
En zou gelukkig zijn.

Is 't niet in zee dat de zon zich baadt,
Doet ook de maan dat niet?
Komt dubbel mooi niet hun gelaat
Dan terug in 't verschiet?
Lokt jou die diepe hemel niet,
Het waterklare blauw?
Lokt jouw gezicht, dat je hier ziet,
Je niet naar eeuw'ge dauw?"

Het water bruist', het water zwol,
Likte zijn blote voet.
Zijn hart liep met verlangen vol
Als bij een liefdesgroet.
Zij sprak tot hem, zij zong tot hem;
Toen was 't met hem gedaan.
Half trok zij hem, half zonk hij weg
Nooit kwam hij daar vandaan.

Text Authorship:

  • Singable translation from German (Deutsch) to Dutch (Nederlands) copyright © 2005 by Lau Kanen, (re)printed on this website with kind permission. To reprint and distribute this author's work for concert programs, CD booklets, etc., please ask the copyright-holder(s) directly.

    Lau Kanen.  Contact: boudewijnkanen (AT) gmail (DOT) com


    If the copyright-holder(s) are unreachable for three business days, please write to: licenses@email.lieder.example.net


Based on:

  • a text in German (Deutsch) by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749 - 1832), "Der Fischer", written 1778?, first published 1779
    • Go to the text page.

Go to the general single-text view


This text was added to the website: 2005-09-01
Line count: 32
Word count: 183

Gentle Reminder

This website began in 1995 as a personal project by Emily Ezust, who has been working on it full-time without a salary since 2008. Our research has never had any government or institutional funding, so if you found the information here useful, please consider making a donation. Your help is greatly appreciated!
–Emily Ezust, Founder

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