by Matthias Claudius (1740 - 1815)
Translation © by Bertram Kottmann

Abendlied
 (Sung text for setting by P. Geisler)
 See original
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Our translations:  CAT DUT ENG ENG FRE ITA
Der Mond ist aufgegangen,
Die goldnen Sternlein prangen
  Am Himmel hell und klar.
Der Wald steht schwarz und schweiget,
Und aus den Wiesen steiget
  Der weisse Nebel wunderbar.

Wie ist die Welt so stille,
Und in der Dämmrung Hülle
  So traulich und so hold!
Als eine stille Kammer,
Wo ihr des Tages Jammer
  Verschlafen und vergessen sollt.

 ... 

Gott, laß dein Heil uns schauen,
Auf nichts Vergänglichs trauen,
  Nicht Eitelkeit uns freun!
Laß uns einfältig werden,
Und vor dir hier auf Erden
  Wie Kinder fromm und fröhlich seyn!

Note: the text above is taken from stanzas 1-2,5 of the original text.

Notes: Herder's Volkslieder prints only the first five stanzas, and Claudius (in his ASMUS complete edition) separates the first five stanzas with three asterisks from the remaining two.
Stanza 1, Line 2 is a quotation from Paul Gerhardt's 'Nun ruhen alle Wälder' (a text in the same verse form used by Claudius here)
In Dalberg's score, stanza 1, line 5, word 5 is a typo ("Wolken")

Composition:

    Set to music by Paul Geisler (1856 - 1919), "Abendlied", stanzas 1-2,5 [ alto, mixed chorus, and orchestra or piano ], from Sansara für Chor, Soli und Orchestra, no. 9, the piano reduction by Friedrich Spiro was published in 1889 by Raabe & Plothow, Berlin

Text Authorship:

See other settings of this text.

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

  • CAT Catalan (Català) (Salvador Pila) , copyright © 2018, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
  • DUT Dutch (Nederlands) [singable] (Lau Kanen) , "Avondlied", copyright © 2006, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
  • ENG English (Emily Ezust) , "Evening Song", copyright ©
  • ENG English (Bertram Kottmann) , "Evening song", copyright © 2006, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
  • FRE French (Français) (Guy Laffaille) , "Chant du soir", copyright © 2010, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
  • ITA Italian (Italiano) (Ferdinando Albeggiani) , "Canto della sera", copyright © 2008, (re)printed on this website with kind permission


Research team for this page: Emily Ezust [Administrator] , Malcolm Wren [Guest Editor] , Peter Rastl [Guest Editor]

This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 43
Word count: 209

Language: English  after the German (Deutsch) 
The moon has been arising,
the stars in golden guising
adorn the heavens bright.
The woods stand still in shadows,
and from the meads and meadows
lift whitish mists into the night.

The world in stillness clouded
and soft in twilight shrouded,
so peaceful and so fair.
Just like a chamber waiting,
where you can rest abating
the daytime's mis'ry and despair.

 ... 

God, grant us Thy salvation!
No worldly aspiration,
no vanity allow!
Like children simple-hearted,
and joyful like we started,
let us become and teach us how!

Note: the text above is taken from stanzas 1-2,5 of the original text.

The translator wishes to acknowledge many helpful suggestions from fellow translator Walter A. Aue.

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2006 by Bertram Kottmann, (re)printed on this website with kind permission. To reprint and distribute this author's work for concert programs, CD booklets, etc., you must ask the copyright-holder(s) directly for permission. If you receive no response, you must consider it a refusal.

    Bertram Kottmann.  Contact: BKottmann (AT) t-online.de

    If you wish to commission a new translation, please contact:

Based on:

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This text was added to the website: 2006-11-19
Line count: 43
Word count: 218