Lehr ihn, wenn es an Namen geht

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by Emily Dickinson (1830 - 1886)

Translation © by Bertram Kottmann

Teach Him ‑‑ When He makes the names

Language: English

Our translations: GER

Teach Him -- When He makes the names --
Such an one -- to say --
On his babbling -- Berry -- lips --
As should sound -- to me --
Were my Ear – as near his nest --
As my thought -- today --
As should sound --
"Forbid us not" --
Some like "Emily."

About the headline (FAQ)

Note (provided by Bertram Kottmann) about line 8 ( "Forbid us not" – ): cf. Mk 10,14

Text Authorship:

by Emily Dickinson (1830 - 1886), "Baby", written 1861 [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 Juliana Hall (b. 1958), "Teach Him – When He makes the names", 1999, first performed 2001 [ soprano and piano ], from Paradise - 7 songs for Soprano and Piano, no. 5 [sung text not yet checked]

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

GER German (Deutsch) (Bertram Kottmann) , copyright © 2017, (re)printed on this website with kind permission

Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]

This text was added to the website: 2014-03-25
Line count: 9
Word count: 43

Lehr ihn, wenn es an Namen geht

Language: German (Deutsch) after the English

Lehr ihn, wenn es an Namen geht,
solch einen zu sagen,
brabbelnd mit seinen -Beeren- Lippen,
der klingen sollt für mich, 
wäre mein Ohr - so nahe seinem Nest -
wie meine Gedanken - heut - ,
dann sollt er klingen,
„Wehrt uns nicht“ -
etwa wie - „Emily“.

About the headline (FAQ)

Translator's notes:
Eines der wenigen Gedichte, denen Emily Dickinson einen Titel gegeben hat.
Line 8: vgl. Mk 10,14

Text Authorship:

Translation from English to German (Deutsch) copyright © 2017 by Bertram Kottmann, (re)printed on this website with kind permission. To reprint and distribute this author's work for concert programs, CD booklets, etc., you must ask the copyright-holder(s) directly for permission. If you receive no response, you must consider it a refusal.
Bertram Kottmann. Contact: BKottmann (AT) t-online.de
If you wish to commission a new translation, please contact: licenses@email.lieder.example.net

Based on:

a text in English by Emily Dickinson (1830 - 1886), "Baby", written 1861
- Go to the text page.

This text was added to the website: 2017-06-23
Line count: 9
Word count: 43