by
Ottokar Kernstock (1848 - 1928)
Language: German (Deutsch)
Our translations: CHI ENG
Horch! Pochte es an mein Fenster nicht?
Schaut nicht durch die Scheibe, die trübe,
Beleuchtet vom flackernden Mondenlicht,
Ein wohlbekanntes, süßes Gesicht,
Mit Augen voll zärtlicher Liebe?
Wird draußen nicht eine Stimme laut,
Schon lange nimmer vernommen?
"Kommt, Kinder!" flüstert sie, "kommt und schaut!
Die Weihnachtstanne ist aufgebaut,
Das Christkind ist gekommen!" --
Ein Baumzweig schlug an dein Fernsterlein,
Der Nachtwind regt sein Gefieder.
Geh schlafen, du Tor! Laß das Lauschen sein!
Kein Christkind kehrt mehr bei dir ein,
Und die Toten kehren nicht wieder.
Composition:
Set to music by Joseph Marx (1882 - 1964), "Dezember", 1930-32 [ medium voice and orchestra or piano ], from Verklärtes Jahr, no. 2
Text Authorship:
Go to the general single-text view
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- CHI Chinese (中文) [singable] (Dr Huaixing Wang) , "十二月", copyright © 2024, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- ENG English (Sharon Krebs) , "December", copyright © 2013, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Research team for this page: Ian Davis , Sharon Krebs
[Senior Associate Editor]This text was added to the website: 2008-06-16
Line count: 15
Word count: 88
Language: English after the German (Deutsch)
Hark! Was there not a tapping at my window?
Through the windowpane, the dull windowpane
Lit by flickering moonlight,
Is there not a well-known, sweet face looking in,
With eyes full of gentle love?
Is there not a voice to be discerned outdoors,
A voice that I have not heard for a long time?
'Come, children!' it whispers, 'come and see!
The Christmas tree has been set up,
The Christ-child has come!'
A tree branch knocked at your window,
The night wind is lifting its wings.
Go to bed, you fool! Leave off this listening!
No Christ-child is ever going to visit your abode again.
And the dead do not return.
Text Authorship:
- Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2013 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.
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Based on:
Go to the general single-text view
This text was added to the website: 2013-12-16
Line count: 15
Word count: 112
