by
Hermann Hesse (1877 - 1962)
Aus der Kindheit her
See original
Language: German (Deutsch)
Our translations: CAT ENG FRE
Aus der Kindheit her
Weht ein Klang mir nach,
Der mir nicht die Seligkeit versprach --
Ohne ihn wär Leben viel zu schwer.
Tönt sein Zauber nicht,
Steh ich ohne Licht,
Sehe Angst und Dunkel rings umher.
Aber immer wieder durch das Leid,
Das ich mir erwarb,
Klingt der süße Ton voll Seligkeit,
Den kein Weh und keine Schuld verdarb.
Liebe Stimme du,
Licht in meinem Haus,
Lösche niemals wieder aus,
Tu die blauen Augen niemals zu!
Sonst verliert die Welt
Allen holden Schein,
Stern um Sternlein fällt,
Und ich steh allein.
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Composition:
Set to music by Franz Bauer , "Aus der Kindheit her", 1943-8 [ voice and piano ]
Text Authorship:
- by Hermann Hesse (1877 - 1962), "Aus der Kindheit her", written 1918
See other settings of this text.
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- CAT Catalan (Català) (Salvador Pila) , "Venint de la infantesa ", copyright © 2023, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- ENG English (Sharon Krebs) , "From my childhood", copyright © 2018, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- FRE French (Français) (Pierre Mathé) , "Venant de l'enfance", copyright © 2013, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Research team for this page: Emily Ezust
[Administrator] , Sharon Krebs
[Senior Associate Editor]This text was added to the website: 2009-04-29
Line count: 19
Word count: 92
Language: English  after the German (Deutsch)
From my childhood
A sound wafts after me,
A sound that did not promised me happiness --
Without it, living would be far too hard.
When its magic does not sound,
I am left without light,
I see fear and darkness all around me.
But ever again through the suffering,
Which I acquired for myself,
The sweet tone full of bliss rings out,
The tone that no pain and no guilt has spoiled.
You dear voice,
Light in my house,
Never again let yourself be extinguished,
Never close your blue eyes!
Else the world shall lose
All its lovely radiance,
Star upon star would fall,
And I would stand alone.
Text Authorship:
- Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2018 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:
- a text in German (Deutsch) by Hermann Hesse (1877 - 1962), "Aus der Kindheit her", written 1918
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This text was added to the website: 2018-02-28
Line count: 19
Word count: 109