by
Georg Trakl (1887 - 1914)
Nähe des Todes
Language: German (Deutsch)
Available translation(s): ENG FRE
O der Abend, der in die finsteren Dörfer der Kindheit geht.
Der Weiher unter den Weiden
Füllt sich mit den verpesteten Seufzern der Schwermut.
O der Wald, der leise die braunen Augen senkt,
Da aus des Einsamen knöchernen Händen
Der Purpur seiner verzückten Tage hinsinkt.
O die Nähe des Todes. Laß uns beten.
In dieser Nacht lösen auf lauen Kissen
Vergilbt von Weihrauch sich der Liebenden schmächtige Glieder.
Authorship:
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
- by Oliver Knussen, CBE (1952 - 2018), "Nähe des Todes", op. 9 no. 2 (1972) [soprano, clarinet in Bb, viola, and piano], from Rosenkranz Lieder, no. 2, London, Faber [ sung text not yet checked against a primary source]
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- ENG English (Bertram Kottmann) , "Nearness of Death", copyright © 2017, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- FRE French (Français) (Pierre Mathé) , "Proximité de la mort", copyright © 2017, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [
Administrator]
This text was added to the website: 2013-11-21
Line count: 9
Word count: 68
Nearness of Death
Language: English  after the German (Deutsch)
O the evening that walks into the gloomy villages of childhood.
The pond under the willows
fills up with the tainted sighs of gloom.
O the forest that softly lowers its brown gaze,
when from the lonely one's bony hands
the purple of his entranced days sinks.
O the nearness of death. Let us pray.
During this night on balmy pillows,
yellowed by incense, the slender limbs of the lovers slacken.
Authorship:
Based on:
This text was added to the website: 2017-09-07
Line count: 9
Word count: 71