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Sonne du sinkst! Sonne du sinkst! Sink' in Frieden, o Sonne! Still und ruhig ist deines Scheidens Gang, Rührend und feyerlich deines Scheidens Schweigen. Wehmuth lächelt dein freundliches Auge; Thränen entträufeln den goldenen Wimpern; Segnungen strömst du der [duftenden]1 Erde. Immer tiefer, Immer leiser, Immer [ernster und feyerlicher]2 [Sinkst]3 du [den Aether hinab]4! Sonne du sinkst! Sonne du sinkst! Sink' in Frieden, o Sonne! Es segnen die Völker, Es säuseln die Lüfte, Es [räuchern die dampfenden Wiesen]5 dir nach; Winde durchrieseln dein [lockiges]6 Haar; [Wogen]7 kühlen die brennende Wange; Weit auf thut sich dein Wasserbett - Ruh' in Frieden! [Schlummr']8 in Wonne! Die Nachtigall flötet dir Schlummergesang. Sonne du sinkst! Sonne du sinkst! Sink' in Frieden, o Sonne! Schön sinkt sichs nach den Schweißen des Tag's, Schön in die Arme der Ruhe Nach [wohlbestandenem]9 [Tagwerk]10. Du hast dein Tagwerk bestanden, Du hast es glorreich vollendet, Hast Welten erleuchtet und Welten erwärmt, Den Schooß der Erde befruchtet, Die schwellenden Knospen geröthet, Der Blumen Kelche geöffnet, Die grünen Saaten gezeitigt, Hast Welten [gesäuget]11 und Welten erquickt - Geliebt und Liebe geerntet, Gesegnet und rings mit Segnungen Dein rollendes Haar bekränzt. Schlummre sanft Nach den Schweißen des Tags; Erwache freudig Nach verjüngendem Schlummer! Erwach' ein junger freudiger Held! Erwach' zu neuen Thaten! Dein harrt die lechzende Schöpfung; Dein harren [Au']12 und Wiesen; Dein harren Vögel und Heerden; Dein harrt der Wandrer im Dunkeln; Dein harrt der Schiffer in Stürmen; Dein harrt der Kranke im Siechbett; Dein harret der Wonnen [seligste]13: [Die Wonne zu lieben, und zu werden geliebt Der Seligkeiten unaussprechlichste: Die hohe vergötternde Seligkeit, wohlzuthun!]14 Sink' in Frieden! Schlummr' in Ruhe! Erwach' in Entzückungen, Sonne!
F. Schubert sets stanzas 1-5
Confirmed with L.T.Kosegarten's Poesieen, Neueste Auflage, Erster Band, Berlin 1803, pages 241-243. This is the source used by Schubert. Kosegarten's poem is slightly different in earlier and later editions.
Note: The title of the first version (1788) is "An die scheidende Sonne".
1 1788 edition: "triefenden"2 1798 edition: "ernster und fey'rlicher"; Schubert: "ernster, feierlicher"
3 Schubert: "sinkest"
4 1788 edition: "die Lüfte hinab"; 1798 and 1802 edition: "die Lüfte nach" (the errata section of the 1802 edition changes this to "den Aether hinab", however); later editions (since 1813): "den Azur hinab"
5 1788 edition: "damfen die rauchenden Fluren"
6 1788 edition: "lokkigt"
7 later editions (since 1813): "Wellen"
8 Schubert: "Ruh'"
9 1788 edition: "wohlbestandnem"
10 1802 and 1803 editions: "Tagewerk"
11 later editions (since 1813): "gesäugt"
12 later editions (since 1813): "die Au'"
13 1788 edition: "wonnigste"
14 different in later editions (since 1813):
Die Wonne liebend geliebt zu seyn! Der Seligkeiten unausredbarste: Selber beseligt zu seyn, derweil du andre beseligst.
Authorship:
- by Ludwig Gotthard Theobul Kosegarten (1758 - 1818), "An die untergehende Sonne", written 1787 [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 Franz Peter Schubert (1797 - 1828), "An die untergehende Sonne", op. 44, D 457 (1817), published 1827, stanzas 1-5 [sung text checked 1 time]
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- CAT Catalan (Català) (Salvador Pila) , "Al sol ponent", copyright © 2018, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- DUT Dutch (Nederlands) [singable] (Lau Kanen) , "Aan de ondergaande zon", copyright © 2008, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- ENG English (Emily Ezust) , "To the setting sun", copyright ©
- ENG English (Malcolm Wren) , "To the setting sun", copyright © 2017, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- FRE French (Français) (Guy Laffaille) , "Au soleil couchant", copyright © 2011, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- SPA Spanish (Español) (Mercedes Vivas) , "Al sol en el ocaso", copyright © 2011, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Research team for this page: Emily Ezust [Administrator] , Peter Rastl [Guest Editor]
This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 60
Word count: 274
Sun, you are sinking! Sun, you are sinking! Sink in peace, oh sun! The pace of your departure is calm and peaceful, The silence of your departure is stirring and celebratory. Your friendly eye smiles with melancholy; Tears drop from your golden eyelashes; You pour blessings onto the fragrant earth. Ever deeper, Ever deeper, More and more serious and celebratory, You are sinking down through the ether! Sun, you are sinking! Sun, you are sinking! Sink in peace, oh sun! The peoples are blessing you, The breezes are rustling, The steaming meadows are sending vapour up towards you; Wind is blowing through your curly hair; Waves are cooling your burning cheeks; Your watery bed is being laid out for you - Rest in peace! Sleep happily! The nightingale is playing you a lullaby. Sun, you are sinking! Sun, you are sinking! Sink in peace, oh sun! Such sinking is beautiful after the sweat of the day, It is beautiful to fall into the arms of peace After a day's work well done. You have done your day's work, You have completed it magnificently, You have illuminated worlds and warmed worlds. You have fertilised the earth's womb, You have reddened the swelling buds, You have opened the calix of flowers, You have led the green seeds to bear fruit, You have nourished worlds and vivified worlds - You have loved and harvested love, You have bestowed blessings and with blessings You have wreathed your rolled up hair. Sleep gently After the sweat of the day; Wake up with joy After your rejuvenating sleep! Wake up as a young, joyful hero! Wake up ready to do new deeds! Panting creation is waiting for you; Fields and meadows are waiting for you; Birds and beasts are waiting for you; The person wandering in darkness is waiting for you; The sailor in storms is waiting for you; Those who are ill in a sick-bed are waiting for you; The most blessed joys are waiting for you: The joy of loving and being loved, That most inexpressible of blessings: The highest blessing of all that makes us divine: doing good! Sink in peace! Sleep peacefully! Wake in delight, sun!
Authorship:
- Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2017 by Malcolm Wren, (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 Ludwig Gotthard Theobul Kosegarten (1758 - 1818), "An die untergehende Sonne", written 1787
This text was added to the website: 2017-09-30
Line count: 60
Word count: 365