Ich wandre durch die stille Nacht,
Da schleicht der Mond so heimlich sacht
Oft aus der dunkeln Wolkenhülle,
Und hin und her im Tal,
Erwacht die Nachtigall
Dann wieder alles grau und stille.

O wunderbarer Nachtgesang,
Von fern im Land der Ströme Gang,
Leis Schauern in den dunkeln Bäumen --
Irrst die Gedanken mir,
Mein wirres Singen hier 
Ist wie ein Rufen nur aus Träumen.

Note: First published in the appendices to the novellas Taugenichts and Marmorbild, 1826, in the cycle Nachtbilder (no. 1)

Composition:

Set to music by Fanny Hensel (1805 - 1847), "Nachtwanderer", op. 7 (Sechs Lieder) no. 1

Text Authorship:

• by Joseph Karl Benedikt, Freiherr von Eichendorff (1788 - 1857), "Nachts", appears in Gedichte, in 1. Wanderlieder

See other settings of this text.

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

• CAT Catalan (Català) (Manuel Capdevila i Font) , copyright © 2025, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
• CAT Catalan (Català) (Salvador Pila) , copyright © 2023, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
• DUT Dutch (Nederlands) [singable] (Lau Kanen) , copyright © 2017, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
• ENG English (Emily Ezust) , "I wander through the quiet night", copyright ©
• FRE French (Français) (Pierre Mathé) , "Je me promenais par une nuit silencieuse", copyright © 2009, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
• ITA Italian (Italiano) (Ferdinando Albeggiani) , "Di notte", copyright © 2013, (re)printed on this website with kind permission

Research team for this page: Emily Ezust [Administrator] , Sharon Krebs [Senior Associate Editor], Melanie Trumbull

This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 12
Word count: 71