by Anton Simon (1760 - 1810)
Translation © by Emily Ezust

Das Bild
 (Sung text for setting by F. Schubert)
 See original
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Our translations:  CAT DUT ENG ENG FRE
Ein Mädchen ist's, das früh und spät
Mir vor der Seele schwebet,
Ein Mädchen, wie es steht und geht,
Aus Himmelsreiz gewebet.
Ich seh's, wenn in mein Fenster mild
Der junge Morgen blinket;
Ich seh's, wenn, lieblich wie das Bild,
Der Abendstern mir winket.

Mir folgt's, ein treuer Weggenoß
Zur Ruh' und ins Getümmel:
Ich fänd' es in der Erde Schooß;
Ich fänd' es selbst im Himmel.
Es schwebt vor mir in Feld und Wald,
Prangt über'm Blumenbeete,
Und glänzt in Seraphimsgestalt
Am Altar, wo ich bete.

 ... 

Allein das Bild, das spät und früh
Mir vor der Seele schwebet,
Ist's nur Geschöpf der Phantasie,
Aus Luft und Traum gewebet?
O nein! so warm auch Liebe mir 
Das Engelbildniß mahlet;
Ist's doch nur Schatten von der Zier,
Die an dem Mädchen strahlet.

Note: the text above is taken from stanzas 1,2,7 of the original text.

Composition:

    Set to music by Franz Peter Schubert (1797 - 1828), "Das Bild", op. posth. 165 no. 3, D 155 (1815), published 1852, stanzas 1,2,7

Text Authorship:

  • by Anton Simon (1760 - 1810), "Das Bild", subtitle: "An Idalien", first published 1792

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

  • CAT Catalan (Català) (Salvador Pila) , "La imatge", copyright © 2018, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
  • DUT Dutch (Nederlands) [singable] (Lau Kanen) , "Het beeld", copyright © 2009, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
  • ENG English (Emily Ezust) , "The picture", copyright ©
  • ENG English (Malcolm Wren) , "The image", copyright © 2017, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
  • FRE French (Français) (Guy Laffaille) , "Le portrait", copyright ©, (re)printed on this website with kind permission


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

This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 64
Word count: 346

Language: English  after the German (Deutsch) 
It is a maiden who, day and night,
floats before my soul.
A maiden, as if she could walk and talk,
made of heavenly appeal.
I see her when, through my window
the morning looks mildly;
I see her when, charmingly, like the picture,
the evening star beckons to me.

She follows me, a faithful companion,
to peace and to tumult;
I would find her in the earth's core,
I would find her even in Heaven.
She hovers before me in field and wood,
resplendent over the flowerbed,
and sparkling in the form of a seraph
at the altar where I pray.

 ... 

But this picture alone, that both day and night
floats before my soul,
is it only a creature of fantasy,
made of air and dreams?
O no, for however warm a love
this angelic picture paints,
it is but a shadow of the loveliness
that radiates from the real maiden.

Note: the text above is taken from stanzas 1,2,7 of the original text.

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © by Emily Ezust

    Emily Ezust permits her translations to be reproduced without prior permission for printed (not online) programs to free-admission concerts only, provided the following credit is given:

    Translation copyright © by Emily Ezust,
    from the LiederNet Archive

    For any other purpose, please write to the e-mail address below to request permission and discuss possible fees.


Based on:

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This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 64
Word count: 152