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It is illegal to copy and distribute our copyright-protected material without permission. It is also illegal to reprint copyright texts or translations without the name of the author or translator.

To inquire about permissions and rates, contact Emily Ezust at licenses@email.lieder.example.net

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by (Christian) Friedrich Hebbel (1813 - 1863)
Translation © by Pierre Mathé

Millionen öde Jahre
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Our translations:  FRE
Millionen öde Jahre
  Lag ich schon in dumpfem Schlaf,
Als aus einem Augenpaare
  Mich der Strahlen erster traf.

Da begann ich, mich zu regen,
  Ich empfand des Werdens Schmerz,
Und mit ungewissen Schlägen
  Setzte sich in mir ein Herz.

In die allerfernste Ferne
  Wich das Augenpaar zurück,
Doch als zwei vereinte Sterne
  Flimmt es noch in meinen Blick.

Nehmt, o nehmt den Funken wieder,
  Der zu euch zurück begehrt!
Fühl' ich's doch, o neigt euch nieder,
  Daß ihr selbst ihn still entbehrt.

Dieses Dämmersein auf Erden,
  Wähnt ihr, es erlischt zu bald?
Ach, der Wunsch, verzehrt zu werden,
  Ist sein einziger Gehalt!

About the headline (FAQ)

Confirmed with Gedichte von Friedrich Hebbel. Gesammt-Ausgabe stark vermehrt und verbessert, Stuttgart und Augsburg, J. G. Cotta'scher Verlag, 1857, pages 213-214.


Text Authorship:

  • by (Christian) Friedrich Hebbel (1813 - 1863), "Reminiscenz", appears in Gedichte, in 3. Vermischte Gedichte [author's text checked 1 time against a primary source]

Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):

  • by Peter Cornelius (1824 - 1874), "Reminiszenz", 1862 [sung text not yet checked]

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

  • FRE French (Français) (Pierre Mathé) , "Réminiscence", copyright © 2015, (re)printed on this website with kind permission


Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]

This text was added to the website: 2004-04-29
Line count: 20
Word count: 102

Réminiscence
Language: French (Français)  after the German (Deutsch) 
Depuis des millions d'années vides
J'étais allongé dans un sommeil sépulcral
Quand issu d'une paire d'yeux
Le premier rayon me frappa.

Je commençai alors à bouger,
Je ressentis la douleur du monde
Et avec des battements incertains
Un cœur en moi se mit en marche.

Dans le plus extrême lointain
La paire d'yeux disparut,
Pourtant comme deux étoiles doubles
Elle scintille encore dans mon regard.

Reprenez, ô reprenez cette étincelle
Qui désire retourner vers vous !
Oh je sens bien, lorsque vous vous penchez
Qu'elle vous manque aussi.

Cette lueur crépusculaire sur la terre, 
Ne pressentez-vous pas qu'elle s'éteint trop vite ?
Ah, le souhait d'être absorbée
Est son unique essence.

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from German (Deutsch) to French (Français) copyright © 2015 by Pierre Mathé, (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.
    Contact: licenses@email.lieder.example.net

Based on:

  • a text in German (Deutsch) by (Christian) Friedrich Hebbel (1813 - 1863), "Reminiscenz", appears in Gedichte, in 3. Vermischte Gedichte
    • Go to the text page.

 

This text was added to the website: 2015-09-08
Line count: 20
Word count: 109

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This website began in 1995 as a personal project by Emily Ezust, who has been working on it full-time without a salary since 2008. Our research has never had any government or institutional funding, so if you found the information here useful, please consider making a donation. Your help is greatly appreciated!
–Emily Ezust, Founder

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