by Albert Stadler (1794 - 1884)
Translation © by Malcolm Wren

Namenstagslied
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Our translations:  CAT DUT ENG
Vater, schenk' mir diese Stunde,
Hör' ein Lied aus meinem Munde!
Dir verdank' ich das Gelingen
Meine Wünsche heut' zu singen,
Denn du hast mit güt'ger Hand
Mir den Weg dazu gebahnt.

O, laß diese Hand mich küssen!
Sieh' des Dankes Tränen fließen!
Denn sie hat mir mehr gegeben
Als Gesang: ein schönes Leben;
Und mit kindlich frohem Blick
Dank' ich ihr des Lebens Glück.

Himmel, sende deinen Segen
Dem verehrten Mann entgegen!
Strahle ihm, des Glückes Sonne!
Schäum' ihm über, Kelch der Wonne!
Und von Blumen voller Pracht
Sei ein Kranz ihm dargebracht. 

Diesen Kranz in deinen Haaren
Möge Gott uns stets bewahren,
Und ich fleh's mit nassen Blicken;
Noch ein zweiter soll dich schmücken,
Blau und golden, denn dir spricht
Jeder Mund: Vergiß mein nicht!

Note: Schubert received Stadler's poem in manuscript.


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) , "Cançó per a l'onomàstica", copyright © 2017, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
  • DUT Dutch (Nederlands) [singable] (Lau Kanen) , "Naamdagslied", copyright © 2011, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
  • ENG English (Malcolm Wren) , "Name-day song", copyright © 2019, (re)printed on this website with kind permission


Research team for this page: Richard Morris , Peter Rastl [Guest Editor]

This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 24
Word count: 127

Name‑day song
Language: English  after the German (Deutsch) 
Father, devote this hour to me,
Listen to a song from my mouth!
I thank you for granting
My request to sing today,
Because, with a generous hand,
You have prepared the way for me.

Oh, let me kiss this hand!
Look at how my tears of gratitude are flowing!
Because this hand has given me more 
Than song: a beautiful life;
And with a childlike, joyful gaze
I thank you for the happiness of life.

Heaven, send your blessing
Down on to this honoured man!
Shine on him, sun of fortune!
Overflow for him, goblet of happiness!
And with flowers full of splendour
Let him be presented with a garland.

This garland in his hair,
May God preserve it for us always,
And I beg this with moist eyes;
A second garland should also adorn you,
Blue and gold, because, speaking to you,
Every mouth is saying, 'Forget me not!'

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2019 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.
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Based on:

 

This text was added to the website: 2019-04-04
Line count: 24
Word count: 151