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Die Nacht ist finster, schwül und bang, Der Wind im Walde tost; Ich wandre fort die Nacht entlang Und finde keinen Trost. Und mir zur Seite, engelmild, Und, ach! so schmerzlich traut, Zieht mein Geleite hin, das Bild Von meiner toten Braut. Ihr bleiches Antlitz bittet mich, Was mich ihr süßer Mund So zärtlich bat und feierlich In ihrer Sterbestund': "Bezwinge fromm die Todeslust, Die dir im Auge starrt, Wenn man mich bald von deiner Brust Fortreißet und verscharrt!" Da unten braust der wilde Bach, Führt reichen, frischen Tod, Die Wogen rufen laut mir nach: "Komm, komm und trinke Tod!" Das klingt so lieblich wie Musik, Wird wo ein Paar getraut: Doch zieht vom Sprunge mich zurück Das Wort der toten Braut. Stets finstrer wird der Wolkendrang, Der Sturm im Walde brüllt, Und ferne hebt sich Donnerklang, Der immer stärker schwillt. O schlängle dich, du Wetterstrahl, Herab, ein Faden mir, Der aus dem Labyrinth der Qual Hinaus mich führt zu dir!
Text Authorship:
- by Nikolaus Lenau (1802 - 1850), "Nächtliche Wanderung", appears in Gedichte, in 1. Erstes Buch, in Sehnsucht [author's text not yet checked 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 Wolfgang Jordan (1870 - 1956), "Nächtliche Wanderung", published 1899 [ voice and piano ], from Träume. Acht Lieder für 1 Singstimme mit Pianoforte, no. 4, Berlin, Deneke [sung text not yet checked]
- by Richard Metzdorff (1844 - 1919), "Nächtliche Wanderung", op. 25 no. 1, published 1875 [ voice and piano ], Braunschweig, Litolff [sung text not yet checked]
- by Hugo Wolf (1860 - 1903), "Nächtliche Wanderung", 1878 [ voice and piano ] [sung text checked 1 time]
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- CAT Catalan (Català) (Salvador Pila) , "Caminada nocturna", copyright © 2021, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- ENG English (Emily Ezust) , "A walk in the night", copyright © 2019
- FRE French (Français) (Guy Laffaille) , "Marche nocturne", copyright © 2014, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Researcher for this page: Alberto Pedrotti
This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 32
Word count: 161
The night is dark, muggy, and anxious, The wind roars in the wood; I travel onward through the night And find no solace. And at my side, as mild as an angel, And ah, so grievously dear, Moves my companion, the image of my dead bride. Her pale face entreats me What her sweet lips So endearingly and solemnly bade me In the hour of her death: "Piously overcome the desire for death That gazes out of your eyes, When from your breast I am soon Torn and hastily buried!" Down below, the wild brook races, Promising rich, cool death; Its waves call loudly to me: "Come, come and drink death!" It rings as beautifully as the music Played when a couple is wed: Yet I am held back from this leap By the words of my dead bride. Ever darker grows the press of clouds, The storm rages in the wood, And in the distance the sound of thunder grows, Rising ever more strongly. Oh curl down, you flash of lightning, Send one filament down to me, So that out of this labyrinth of sorrow It may lead me up to her!
Text Authorship:
- Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2019 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 ArchiveFor any other purpose, please write to the e-mail address below to request permission and discuss possible fees.
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Based on:
- a text in German (Deutsch) by Nikolaus Lenau (1802 - 1850), "Nächtliche Wanderung", appears in Gedichte, in 1. Erstes Buch, in Sehnsucht
This text was added to the website: 2019-08-11
Line count: 32
Word count: 193