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Nachts, wenn das Meer mich wiegt Und bleicher Sternenglanz Auf seinen weiten Wellen liegt, Dann löse ich mich ganz Von allem Tun und aller Liebe los Und stehe still und atme bloß Allein, allein vom Meer gewiegt, Das still und kalt mit tausend Lichtern liegt. Dann muß ich meiner Freunde denken Und meinen Blick in ihre Blicke senken, Und frage jeden still allein: "Bist du noch mein? Ist dir mein Leid ein Leid, mein Tod ein Tod? Fühlst du von meiner Liebe, meiner Not Nur einen Hauch, nur einen Widerhall?" Und ruhig blickt und schweigt das Meer Und lächelt: Nein. Und nirgendwo kommt Gruß und Antwort her.
Please note: this text, provided here for educational and research use, is in the public domain in Canada and the U.S., but it may still be copyright in other legal jurisdictions. The LiederNet Archive makes no guarantee that the above text is public domain in your country. Please consult your country's copyright statutes or a qualified IP attorney to verify whether a certain text is in the public domain in your country or if downloading or distributing a copy constitutes fair use. The LiederNet Archive assumes no legal responsibility or liability for the copyright compliance of third parties.
Confirmed with Hermann Hesse, Sämtliche Werke, herausgegeben von Volker Michels, Band 10 Die Gedichte, bearbeitet von Peter Huber, Frankfurt am Main: Suhrkamp Verlag, 2002, page 178.
Text Authorship:
- by Hermann Hesse (1877 - 1962), "Bei Nacht", written 1911 [author's text checked 2 times 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 Fabian Müller (b. 1964), "Bei Nacht", first performed 2001 [ mezzo-soprano and orchestra ], from Nachtgesänge, no. 2 [sung text not yet checked]
- by Alfred Stier (1880 - 1968), "Bei Nacht", 1914 [ voice and piano ], from Zwölf Gesänge nach Gedichten von Hermann Hesse, no. 10 [sung text checked 1 time]
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- CAT Catalan (Català) (Salvador Pila) , "De nit", copyright © 2023, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- ENG English (Sharon Krebs) , "At night", copyright © 2017, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- FRE French (Français) (Pierre Mathé) , "De nuit", copyright © 2011, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Research team for this page: Emily Ezust [Administrator] , Sharon Krebs [Guest Editor]
This text was added to the website: 2009-06-14
Line count: 18
Word count: 107
At night when I am rocked by the sea, And the pale radiance of stars Lies upon its broad waves, Then I free myself completely From all action and all love And stand still and do nothing but breathe Alone, solely rocked by the sea That lies still and cold with a thousand lights. Then I must think of my friends And immerse my glances in theirs, And ask each one of them individually, quietly: "Are you still mine? Is my sorrow a sorrow to you, my death a death? Of my love, my misery, do you feel Even a trace, even an echo?" And calmly the sea looks and falls silent And smiles: No. And no greeting and answer come from anywhere.
Text Authorship:
- Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2017 by Sharon Krebs, (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 Hermann Hesse (1877 - 1962), "Bei Nacht", written 1911
This text was added to the website: 2017-02-02
Line count: 18
Word count: 123