When the silver moon twinkles through the bushes

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by Ludwig Heinrich Christoph Hölty (1748 - 1776)

Translation © by Emily Ezust

Die Mainacht

(Sung text for setting by J. Brahms)

See original

Language: German (Deutsch)

Our translations: CAT DUT ENG FRE HEB HEB ITA ITA SPA

Wann der silberne Mond durch die Gesträuche blinkt,
Und sein schlummerndes Licht über den Rasen streut,
  Und die Nachtigall flötet,
    Wandl' ich traurig von Busch zu Busch.

 ... 

Überhüllet von Laub, girret ein Taubenpaar
Sein Entzücken mir vor; aber ich wende mich,
  Suche dunklere Schatten,
    Und die einsame Thräne rinnt.

Wann, o lächelndes Bild, welches wie Morgenroth
Durch die Seele mir stralt, find' ich auf Erden dich?
  Und die einsame Thräne
    Bebt mir heisser die Wang' herab.

Note: the text above is taken from stanzas 1,3-4 of the original text.

Composition:

Johannes Brahms

Text Authorship:

by Ludwig Heinrich Christoph Hölty (1748 - 1776), "Die Mainacht", written 1774, first published 1775

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
CZE Czech (Čeština) (Josef Jaroslav Kalina) , "Májová noc"
DUT Dutch (Nederlands) [singable] (Lau Kanen) , copyright © 2010, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
ENG English (Emily Ezust) , copyright © 2019
FRE French (Français) (Pierre Mathé) , copyright © 2009, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
HEB Hebrew (עברית) (Max Mader) (Tsippora Samberg) , copyright © 2016, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
HEB Hebrew (עברית) [singable] (Hamutal Atariah) , copyright © 2024, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
ITA Italian (Italiano) (Ferdinando Albeggiani) , "Notte di maggio", copyright © 2009, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
ITA Italian (Italiano) (Amelia Maria Imbarrato) , "La notte di maggio", copyright © 2009, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
SPA Spanish (Español) (Alvaro De la Cruz) , "La noche de mayo", copyright © 2005, (re)printed on this website with kind permission

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

This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 16
Word count: 107

When the silver moon twinkles through...

(Sung text translation for setting by J. Brahms)

See original

Language: English after the German (Deutsch)

When the silver moon twinkles through the bushes,
And dusts the grass with its sleepy light,
And the nightingale pipes like a flute,
I wander mournfully from bush to bush.

 ... 

Surrounded with leaves, a pair of doves coos
Their delight to me, but I turn away,
Seeking darker shadows,
And a solitary tear flows.

O smiling image that, like the red light of morning,
Shines through my soul, when will I find you on earth?
And the solitary tear
Trembles more warmly on my cheek.

About the headline (FAQ)

Note: the text above is taken from stanzas 1,3-4 of the original text.

Text Authorship:

Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2019 by Emily Ezust
Emily Ezust permits her translations to be reproduced without prior permission for printed (not online) programs to free-admission concerts only, provided the following credit is given:
Translation copyright © by Emily Ezust,
from the LiederNet Archive
For any other purpose, please write to the e-mail address below to request permission and discuss possible fees.
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Based on:

a text in German (Deutsch) by Ludwig Heinrich Christoph Hölty (1748 - 1776), "Die Mainacht", written 1774, first published 1775
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This text was added to the website: 2019-12-05
Line count: 16
Word count: 110