by Hermann Hesse (1877 - 1962)
Translation © by Pierre Mathé

Bei Spezia
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Our translations:  CAT ENG FRE
In großen Takten singt das Meer,
Der schwüle Westwind heult und lacht,
Sturmwolken jagen schwarz und schwer;
Man sieht sie nicht, es ist zu nacht.

Mir aber scheint: so tot und bang,
So ohne Trost und Sternegold
Durch schwüle Nacht und Sturmgesang
Sei auch mein Leben hingerollt.

Und doch ist keine Nacht so schwer
Und so voll Dunkels keine Fahrt,
Der nicht vom nahen Morgen her
Des Lichtes süße Ahnung ward.

Please note: this text, provided here for educational and research use, is in the public domain in Canada and the U.S., but it may still be copyright in other legal jurisdictions. The LiederNet Archive makes no guarantee that the above text is public domain in your country. Please consult your country's copyright statutes or a qualified IP attorney to verify whether a certain text is in the public domain in your country or if downloading or distributing a copy constitutes fair use. The LiederNet Archive assumes no legal responsibility or liability for the copyright compliance of third parties.

Confirmed with Hermann Hesse, Sämtliche Werke, herausgegeben von Volker Michels, Band 10 Die Gedichte, bearbeitet von Peter Huber, Frankfurt am Main: Suhrkamp Verlag, 2002, pages 116-117.


Text Authorship:

Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):

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

  • CAT Catalan (Català) (Salvador Pila) , "A La Spezia", copyright © 2023, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
  • ENG English (Sharon Krebs) , "Near La Spezia", copyright © 2017, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
  • FRE French (Français) (Pierre Mathé) , "À La Spezia", copyright © 2017, (re)printed on this website with kind permission


Research team for this page: Emily Ezust [Administrator] , Sharon Krebs [Guest Editor]

This text was added to the website: 2007-05-25
Line count: 12
Word count: 71

À La Spezia
Language: French (Français)  after the German (Deutsch) 
La mer chante avec un ample rythme
Le chaud vent d'ouest hurle et rit,
Des nuages de tempête courent, noirs et lourds
On ne les voit pas, il fait trop nuit.

Mais pareillement, si morte et anxieuse,
Avec si peu de consolation et d'étoiles d'or
Dans la  nuit chaude et dans le chant de la tempête,
Ma vie s'est aussi déroulée. 

Pourtant il n'y  pas de nuit aussi noire,
Pas de voyage aussi plein d'obscurité,
Qui à l'approche du matin à venir
N'a pas la douce prémonition de la lumière.

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from German (Deutsch) to French (Français) copyright © 2017 by Pierre Mathé, (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: 

Based on:

 

This text was added to the website: 2017-10-22
Line count: 12
Word count: 90