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Muß immer der Morgen wiederkommen? Endet nie des Irdischen Gewalt? Unselige Geschäftigkeit verzehrt den himmlischen Anflug der Nacht. Wird nie der Liebe geheimes Opfer ewig brennen? Zugemessen ward dem Lichte seine Zeit; aber zeitlos und raumlos ist der Nacht Herrschaft. -- Ewig ist die Dauer des Schlafs. Heiliger Schlaf -- beglücke zu selten nicht der Nacht Geweihte in diesem irdischen Tagewerk. Nur die Toren verkennen dich und wissen von keinem Schlafe, als dem Schatten, den du in jener Dämmerung der wahrhaften Nacht mitleidig auf uns wirfst. Sie fühlen dich nicht in der goldenen Flut der Trauben -- in des Mandelbaums Wunderöl, und dem braunen Safte des Mohnes. Sie wissen nicht, daß du es bist der des zarten Mädchens Busen umschwebt und zum Himmel den Schooss macht -- ahnden nicht, daß aus alten Geschichten du himmelöffnend entgegentrittst und den Schlüssel trägst zu den Wohnungen der Seligen, unendlicher Geheimnisse schweigender Bote.
About the headline (FAQ)
View text with footnotesAuthorship:
- by Friedrich von Hardenberg (1772 - 1801), as Novalis, no title, appears in Hymnen an die Nacht, no. 2 [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 Alphons Diepenbrock (1862 - 1921), "Hymne an die Nacht No. 2", 1899. [ sung text checked 1 time]
- by Paul Hindemith (1895 - 1963), "Hymne" [ sung text checked 1 time]
- by Siegfried Matthus (b. 1934), "Muß immer der Morgen wiederkommen?", 1987, first performed 1988 [baritone, string quartet and harp], from Nachtlieder, no. 3, confirmed with a CD booklet [ sung text checked 1 time]
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- ENG English (Emily Ezust) , "Must morning always come again?", copyright ©
- ENG English (George MacDonald) , no title, appears in Rampolli: Growths from a Long Planted Root. Being Translations, New and Old, Chiefly from the German, first published 1897
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 24
Word count: 145
Must morning always come again? Will the might of the mundane never end? Will accursed bustle consume the heavenly approach of night? Will love's secret sacrifice never burn eternally? Light had their time measured out - but timeless and limitless is the night's dominion; eternal is the duration of that Sleep. Sacred sleep! Do not cheer too seldom those dedicated to night in this earthly day's task. Only fools will mistake you, and know of no sleep but the shadow that in that twilight of veritable night you mercifully cast over us. They do not feel you in the golden flood of grapes, in the almond trees' wondrous oil, and in the brown nectar of poppies. They know not that it is you hovering about the bosom of the tender maiden, making her lap Heaven; they do not suspect that from old stories you will emerge, opening up the heavens, bearing the key to the abode of the blessed; infinite secrets of a silent messenger.
Authorship:
- Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © by Emily Ezust
Emily Ezust permits her translations to be reproduced without prior permission for printed (not online) programs to free-admission concerts only, provided the following credit is given:
Translation copyright © by Emily Ezust,
from the LiederNet Archive -- https://www.lieder.net/For any other purpose, please write to the e-mail address below to request permission and discuss possible fees.
Based on:
- a text in German (Deutsch) by Friedrich von Hardenberg (1772 - 1801), as Novalis, no title, appears in Hymnen an die Nacht, no. 2
This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 24
Word count: 165