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Nun fängt es an zu dämmern,
Der Mond als Hirt erwacht,
Und singt den Wolkenlämmern
Ein Lied zur guten Nacht;
Und wie er singt so leise,
Da dringt vom Sternenkreise
Der Schall ins Ohr mir sacht,
Schlafet in Ruh, schlafet in Ruh!
Vorüber der Tag und sein Schall,
Die Liebe Gottes deckt euch zu
Allüberall.
...
Von Thür zu Thüre wallet
Der Traum, ein lieber Gast,
Das Harfenspiel verhallet
Im schimmernden Pallast;
Im Nachen schläft der Ferge,
Die Hirten auf dem Berge
Sie halten um's Feuer Rast.
Schlafet in Ruh, schlafet in Ruh!
Vorüber der Tag und sein Schall;
Die Liebe Gottes deckt euch zu
Allüberall.
...
Gut' Nacht denn, all' ihr Müden,
Ihr Lieben nah' und fern!
Nun ruh' auch ich in Frieden
Bis glänzt der Morgenstern.
Die Nachtigall alleine
Singt noch im Mondenscheine
Und lobet Gott den Herrn.
Schlafet in Ruh, schlafet in Ruh!
Vorüber der Tag und sein Schall;
Die Liebe Gottes deckt euch zu
Allüberall.
Note: the text above is taken from stanzas 1,3,6 of the original text.
Composition:
- Set to music by Joseph (Gabriel) Rheinberger (1839 - 1901), "Gute Nacht", op. 131 no. 6 (1882), stanzas 1,3,6 [ SSAA chorus ]
Text Authorship:
- by Emanuel Geibel (1815 - 1884), "Gute Nacht", appears in Jugendgedichte, in 3. Drittes Buch, in Athen
See other settings of this text.
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- DUT Dutch (Nederlands) (Corien Sleeswijk) , "Goede Nacht", copyright © 2019, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- ENG English (Michael P Rosewall) , copyright © 2022, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- ENG English (Sharon Krebs) , copyright © 2025, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Research team for this page: Emily Ezust [Administrator] , Sharon Krebs [Senior Associate Editor], Johann Winkler
This text was added to the website: 2005-07-14
Line count: 66
Word count: 320
Twilight has now commenced,
The moon awakens as a shepherd
And to his cloud-lambs he sings
A song to wish them a good night;
And as he sings so softly,
From the circle of stars the sound
Comes delicately to my ears,
Sleep in peace, sleep in peace!
The day and its noises are past,
God's love is your coverlet
Everywhere, everywhere.
...
From door to door wanders
The dream, a welcome guest,
The harp-playing dies away
In the shimmering palace;
In the boat the ferryman is sleeping,
The shepherds upon the mountain
Are resting beside their fire.
Sleep in peace, sleep in peace!
The day and its noises are past,
God's love is your coverlet
Everywhere, everywhere.
...
Good night then, all ye weary ones,
Ye dear ones far and near!
Now I, too, shall rest in peace
Until the morning star sparkles.
The nightingale alone
Still sings in the moonlight
And praises the Lord God.
Sleep in peace, sleep in peace!
The day and its noises are past,
God's love is your coverlet
Everywhere, everywhere.
Note: the text above is taken from stanzas 1,3,6 of the original text.
Text Authorship:
- Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2025 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 Emanuel Geibel (1815 - 1884), "Gute Nacht", appears in Jugendgedichte, in 3. Drittes Buch, in Athen
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This text was added to the website: 2025-06-28
Line count: 66
Word count: 356