by Joseph Karl Benedikt, Freiherr von Eichendorff (1788 - 1857)
Translation © by Pierre Mathé

Zwielicht
 (Sung text for setting by R. Schumann)
 See original
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Our translations:  CAT DUT ENG FRE HEB ITA NOR POR SPA
Dämmrung will die Flügel spreiten,
Schaurig rühren sich die Bäume,
Wolken ziehn wie schwere Träume -
Was will dieses Grau'n bedeuten?

Hast ein Reh du lieb vor andern,
Laß es nicht alleine grasen,
Jäger ziehn im Wald und blasen,
Stimmen hin und wieder wandern.

Hast du einen Freund hienieden,
Trau ihm nicht zu dieser Stunde,
Freundlich wohl mit Aug' und Munde,
Sinnt er Krieg im tück'schen Frieden.

Was heut gehet müde unter,
Hebt sich morgen neu geboren.
Manches geht in Nacht verloren -
Hüte dich, sei wach und munter!
Confirmed with Joseph Freiherrn von Eichendorffs sämtlich poetische Werk, Zweiter Band, Dritte Auflage, Leipzig, C. F. Amelang's Verlag, 1883, p. 436.

Note: some 20th century editions of Eichendorff have "wider" instead of "wieder" in stanza 2, line 4, but "wieder" is prevalent in the editions that came out in the 19th century. (With thanks to Alfred Liebel for pointing this out.)

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

  • CAT Catalan (Català) (Salvador Pila) , "Crepuscle", copyright © 2020, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
  • DUT Dutch (Nederlands) [singable] (Lau Kanen) , "Deemstering", copyright © 2012, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
  • ENG English (Emily Ezust) , "Twilight", copyright ©
  • FRE French (Français) (Pierre Mathé) , "Pénombre", copyright © 2008, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
  • HEB Hebrew (עברית) (Max Mader) , "דימדומים", copyright © 2014, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
  • ITA Italian (Italiano) (Amelia Maria Imbarrato) , "Crepuscolo", copyright © 2006, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
  • NOR Norwegian (Bokmål) (Marianne Beate Kielland) , "Grålysning", copyright © 2008, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
  • POR Portuguese (Português) (Elke Beatriz Riedel) , "Penumbra", copyright © 2010, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
  • SPA Spanish (Español) (Diego S. Loyola) , "Medialuz", copyright © 2003, (re)printed on this website with kind permission


Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]

This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 16
Word count: 90

Language: French (Français)  after the German (Deutsch) 
Le crépuscule va déployer ses ailes,
Effrayants, les arbres s'agitent
Les nuages courent, comme des rêves lourds -
Que signifient ces horreurs ?

Si tu as un chevreuil que tu préfères aux autres,
Ne le laisse pas paître seul,
Les chasseurs parcourent la forêt et sonnent du cor,
De temps en temps des voix se déplacent.

Si tu as un ami ici-bas,
En cette heure ne te fie pas à lui,
Tout sourire des lèvres et des yeux,
Sous couvert de traîtresse paix, il médite la guerre.

Celui qui se couche aujourd'hui fatigué,
Demain se lève renaissant.
Plus d'un se va perdu dans la nuit -
Méfie-toi, sois vif et gaillard.

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from German (Deutsch) to French (Français) copyright © 2008 by Pierre Mathé, (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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This text was added to the website: 2008-08-20
Line count: 16
Word count: 110