Spring is far away | When the forest feels itself to be prepared for dying

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by Gustav Pfarrius (1800 - 1884)

Translation © by Sharon Krebs

Der Lenz ist fern

Language: German (Deutsch)

Our translations: ENG

Fühlt der Wald zum Sterben sich bereit,
Holt er aus der Truh' sein Hochzeitskleid,
Prangt in Gold, erglänzt in Scharlach roth,
So geschmückt erwartet er den Tod;

Und die Sonne lächelt seiner Pracht,
Gleich als wär' er neu zum Lenz erwacht,
Doch sein Lenz ist fern, nach kurzem Glanz
Tanzt der Sturm mit ihm den Totentanz;

Hei, wie saust und braust's dann im Revier!
Wie zerfährt der Blätter bunte Zier!
Kaum ein leiser Klageton erschallt,
Und gestorben ist der grüne Wald.

Confirmed with Düsseldorfer Künstler-Album, 1. Jahrgang (1851), [n.p.]

Text Authorship:

by Gustav Pfarrius (1800 - 1884), "Der Lenz ist fern" [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 H. Vagedes , "Der Lenz ist fern", published 1869 [low voice and piano?], from Waldlieder für tiefere Stimme, no. 10, Köln, Schloss [ sung text not verified ]

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

ENG English (Sharon Krebs) , title 1: "Spring is far away", copyright © 2017, (re)printed on this website with kind permission

Researcher for this page: Sharon Krebs [Guest Editor]

This text was added to the website: 2011-07-17
Line count: 12
Word count: 81

Spring is far away

Language: English after the German (Deutsch)

When the forest feels itself to be prepared for dying,
It takes its wedding dress forth from its coffer,
Stands resplendent in gold, radiant in crimson;
Thus adorned, it awaits death.

And the sun smiles at the glory,
Just as if [the forest] were newly awakened to spring,
But its spring is far away, after a short splendour
The storm whirls the forest about in the dance of death;

Ho, what a rushing and roaring there is then in the forest!
How the bright adornment of leaves is torn asunder!
A quiet tone of lamentation barely sounds,
And the green forest has died.

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.
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Based on:

a text in German (Deutsch) by Gustav Pfarrius (1800 - 1884), "Der Lenz ist fern"
- Go to the text page.

This text was added to the website: 2017-05-10
Line count: 12
Word count: 103