by Ludwig Heinrich Christoph Hölty (1748 - 1776)
Translation © by Max Mader, Tsippora Samberg

Die Mainacht
 (Sung text for setting by F. Hensel)
 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.

Selig preis' ich dich dann, flötende Nachtigall,
Weil dein Weibchen mit dir wohnet in Einem Nest,
  Ihrem singenden Gatten
    Tausend trauliche Küsse giebt.

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

 ...

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

Composition:

    Set to music by Fanny Hensel (1805 - 1847), "Die Mainacht", op. posth. 9 no. 6, published 1850, stanzas 1-3 [ voice and piano ], Leipzig: Breitkopf & Härtel

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
  • 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

Language: Hebrew (עברית)  after the German (Deutsch) 
בעוד הירח המכסיף קורן מבעד לסבך,
ומפזר אורו המנומנם על הדשא,
והזמיר מנעים זמירותיו,
אהלך לי אני משיח לשיח. 






עוטה עלווה, זוג יונים 
הומה אלי המית עונג.
אך אני נפנה מהם, תר אחר צללים אפלים יותר.
ודמעה בודדה נוטפת.

אימתי, דמות מחייכת, אשר כמו שחר
תאיר את נפשי,
אימתי אמצאך עלי אדמות?
והדמעה הבודדת, 
רוטטת, צורבת על לחיי.

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

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from German (Deutsch) to Hebrew (עברית) copyright © 2016 by Max Mader and Tsippora Samberg, (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.
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This text was added to the website: 2016-06-19
Line count: 13
Word count: 58