Starlit night | My soul, can you not pray?

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by Hermann Hesse (1877 - 1962)

Translation © by Sharon Krebs

Sternklare Nacht

(Sung text for setting by V. Patrick)

See original

Language: German (Deutsch)

Our translations: CAT ENG ENG FRE

Meine Seele, kannst du nicht beten?
Sieh, wie die Sterne wunderbar 
Aus der gewölbten Bläue treten.
Und droben leuchten schön und klar.

Das sind die Lichter deren Glänzen
Dich ehemals so tief entzückt.
Und die du mit den bunten Kränzen
Verliebter Lieder hast geschmückt.

Ich fühle wohl wie du bezwungen
Vor der getarnten Nacht dich neigst --
Sind deine Lieder alle versungen,
O meine Seele, daß du schweigst?

Please note: this text, provided here for educational and research use, is in the public domain in Canada, but it may still be copyright in other legal jurisdictions. The LiederNet Archive makes no guarantee that the above text is public domain in your country. Please consult your country's copyright statutes or a qualified IP attorney to verify whether a certain text is in the public domain in your country or if downloading or distributing a copy constitutes fair use. The LiederNet Archive assumes no legal responsibility or liability for the copyright compliance of third parties.

Note: some sources have a typo in stanza 3, line 2 : "neigst" erroneously becomes "zeigst".

Composition:

V. D. Patrick

Vier Lieder

Text Authorship:

by Hermann Hesse (1877 - 1962), "Sternklare Nacht", written 1901

See other settings of this text.

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

CAT Catalan (Català) (Salvador Pila) , "Nit estrellada", copyright © 2026, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
ENG English (Beate Binnig) , "Starry night", copyright © 2016, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
ENG English (Sharon Krebs) , "Starlit night", copyright © 2019, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
FRE French (Français) (Pierre Mathé) , "Nuit étoilée", copyright © 2017, (re)printed on this website with kind permission

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

This text was added to the website: 2008-11-17
Line count: 12
Word count: 68

Starlit night

(Sung text translation for setting by V. Patrick)

See original

Language: English after the German (Deutsch)

My soul, can you not pray?
See how wondrously the stars
Emerge from the vaulted blue.
And shine above, beautiful and clear.

Those are the lights whose sparkling
Once enraptured you so deeply.
And which you adorned with 
The colourful wreaths of lovestruck songs.

Indeed I feel how, conquered, you
Bow down before the disguised night --
Are all your songs sung out,
Oh my soul, that you remain silent?

Text Authorship:

Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2019 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.
Contact: licenses@email.lieder.example.net

Based on:

a text in German (Deutsch) by Hermann Hesse (1877 - 1962), "Sternklare Nacht", written 1901
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This text was added to the website: 2019-02-21
Line count: 12
Word count: 70