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by Friedrich Hölderlin (1770 - 1843)

Geh unter, schöne Sonne
 (Sung text for setting by W. Fortner)
 Matches base text
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Our translations:  ENG FRE
 Geh unter, schöne Sonne, sie achteten
  Nur wenig dein, sie kannten dich, Heilge, nicht.
   Denn mühelos und stille bist du
    Über den Mühsamen aufgegangen.

 Mir gehst du freundlich unter und auf, o Licht,
  Und wohl erkennt mein Auge dich, herrliches!
   Denn göttlich stille ehren lernt ich,
    Da Diotima den Sinn mir heilte.

 O du, des Himmels Botin, wie lauscht ich dir,
  Dir, Diotima! Liebe! wie sah von dir
   Zum goldnen Tage dieses Auge
    Glänzend und dankend empor. Da rauschten

 Lebendiger die Quellen, es atmeten
  Der dunkeln Erde Blüten mich liebend an,
   Und lächelnd über Silberwolken
    Neigte sich segnend herab der Äther.
Published in 1846 with the title "Am Abend".
Note provided by John Paton: Hölderlin borrowed the name Diotima from Plato's Symposium and applied it to Susette Gontard, whose children he tutored. She was the secret, unrequited love of his life.

Composition:

    Set to music by Wolfgang Fortner (1907 - 1987), "Geh unter, schöne Sonne", 1933 [ medium voice and piano ], from Vier Gesänge nach Worten von Hölderlin, no. 4, Schott Music

Text Authorship:

  • by Friedrich Hölderlin (1770 - 1843), "Geh unter, schöne Sonne...", written 1799

See other settings of this text.

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

  • ENG English (John Glenn Paton) , "Go down, lovely sun", copyright © 2004, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
  • FRE French (Français) (Guy Laffaille) , copyright © 2017, (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: 102

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