The yellow foliage trembles | The yellow foliage trembles

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by Heinrich Heine (1797 - 1856)

Translation © by John H. Campbell

Herbst

(Sung text for setting by K. Reinecke)

See original

Language: German (Deutsch)

Our translations: CAT CHI ENG ENG FRE

Das gelbe Laub erzittert, 
Es fallen die Blätter herab; 
Ach, Alles, was hold und lieblich, 
Verwelkt und sinkt in's Grab. 

Die Wipfel des Waldes umflimmert 
Ein schmerzlicher Sonnenschein; 
Das mögen die letzten Küsse 
Des scheidenden Sommers seyn.

Mir ist, als müßt ich weinen 
Aus tiefstem Herzensgrund; 
Es mahnet dies Bild mich wieder
An unsre Abschiedsstund'. 

Ich mußte dich verlassen, 
Und wußte, du stürbest bald; 
Ich war der scheidende Sommer, 
Du warst der sterbende Wald.

Composition:

Karl Heinrich Carsten Reinecke

Eine Novelle in Liedern. Cyclus von 8 Gesängen

Text Authorship:

by Heinrich Heine (1797 - 1856), no title, appears in Nachgelesene Gedichte 1828-1844 , no. 8

See other settings of this text.

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

CAT Catalan (Català) (Salvador Pila) , copyright © 2015, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
CHI Chinese (中文) [singable] (Dr Huaixing Wang) , copyright © 2024, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
ENG English (John H. Campbell) , "The yellow foliage trembles", copyright ©, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
ENG English [singable] (Anonymous/Unidentified Artist) , "Parting"
ENG English (Sharon Krebs) , copyright © 2025, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
FRE French (Français) (Guy Laffaille) , copyright © 2014, (re)printed on this website with kind permission

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

This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 16
Word count: 83

The yellow foliage trembles

(Sung text translation for setting by K. Reinecke)

See original

Language: English after the German (Deutsch)

Add this translation to your Reprint Basket | Add tr by K. Reinecke

The yellow foliage trembles,
the leaves fall down;
oh, everything, that is lovely and sweet,
wilts and sinks into the grave.

The tops of the forest conceal
a painful sunshine;
the last kisses are like
the departing summer.
 
I weep, as I must,
from deepest heart's reason;
this scene again reminds me
of our parting-hours.
 
I had to leave you
knowing, you would die soon!
I was the departing summer,
you were the dying forest.

Text Authorship:

Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © by John H. Campbell, (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.

Based on:

a text in German (Deutsch) by Heinrich Heine (1797 - 1856), no title, appears in Nachgelesene Gedichte 1828-1844 , no. 8
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This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 16
Word count: 78