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by Mikhail Yur'yevich Lermontov (1814 - 1841)
Translation Singable translation by Lina Esbeer (1875 - 1912)

Я видал иногда, как ночная звезда
Language: Russian (Русский) 
Я видал иногда, как ночная звезда
  В зеркальном заливе блестит;
Как трепещет в струях, и серебряный прах
  От неё рассыпаясь бежит. 

Но поймать ты не льстись и ловить не берись:
  Обманчивы луч и волна. 
Мрак тени твоей только ляжет на ней -
  Отойди ж - и заблешет она. 

Светлой радости так беспокойный призрак
  Нас манит под хладною мглой;
Ты [схватить - он]1 шутя убежит от тебя! 
  Ты обманут - он вновь пред тобой.

Available sung texts: (what is this?)

•   A. Arensky 

About the headline (FAQ)

View original text (without footnotes)

Confirmed with Лермонтов М. Ю., Сочинения: В 6 т., Т. 1. Стихотворения, 1828—1831, — М.; Л.: Изд-во АН СССР, 1954, page 100.

1 Arensky: "к нему, он" (k nemu, on)

Show a transliteration: Default | DIN | GOST

Note on Transliterations

Text Authorship:

  • by Mikhail Yur'yevich Lermontov (1814 - 1841), "Еврейская мелодия", first published 1830 [author's text checked 1 time 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 Viktor Viktorovich Abaza (1861 - 1918), "Еврейская мелодия", 1901 [ voice and piano ] [sung text not yet checked]
  • by Akhilles Nikolayevich Alferaki (1846 - 1919), "Еврейская мелодия", op. 22 (4 Романса с сопровождением фортепиано (4 Romansa s soprovozhdeniem fortepiano)) no. 4 [ voice and piano ], Leipzig, Belaieff [sung text not yet checked]
  • by Anton Stepanovich Arensky (1861 - 1906), "Я видал иногда", op. 38 (Шесть романсов (Shest' romansov) = 6 romances) no. 6 [ voice and piano ], also set in German (Deutsch) [sung text checked 1 time]
  • by Anatoly Georgievich Umantsev (b. 1940), "Еврейская мелодия" [sung text not yet checked]
  • by Abram Semyonovich Zhak (1901 - 1981), "Еврейская мелодия" [sung text not yet checked]

Settings in other languages, adaptations, or excerpts:

  • Also set in German (Deutsch), a translation by Lina Esbeer (1875 - 1912) ; composed by Anton Stepanovich Arensky.
      • Go to the text.

Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]

This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 12
Word count: 70

Manchmal sah ich
Language: German (Deutsch)  after the Russian (Русский) 
Manchmal sah ich von fern wie ein nächtlicher Stern
  Erglänzet in spiegelnder Bucht; 
Wie er flimmert und glüht, wie sein Silberstaub sprüht 
  Und zerstiebend ergreifet die Flucht.

Ihn zu haschen lass sein, du fängst nimmer ihn ein,
  Denn falsch sind der Strahl wie die Well'.
Dein Schatten, gieb acht, deckt den Schimmer mit Nacht, 
  Tritt hinweg, gleich erglänzet er hell...

Ach, das Glück ist ja ganz wie der unstäte Glanz;
  Es lockt so erreichbar und nah:
Dringst du vor, weicht's zurück und entzieht sich dem Blick...
  Doch es teuscht dich: auf's Neu ist es da. 

Text Authorship:

  • Singable translation by Lina Esbeer (1875 - 1912) [author's text not yet checked against a primary source]

Based on:

  • a text in Russian (Русский) by Mikhail Yur'yevich Lermontov (1814 - 1841), "Еврейская мелодия", first published 1830
    • Go to the text page.

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

  • by Anton Stepanovich Arensky (1861 - 1906), "Manchmal sah ich", op. 38 (Шесть романсов (Shest' romansov) = 6 romances) no. 6 [ voice and piano ], also set in Russian (Русский) [sung text checked 1 time]

Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]

This text was added to the website: 2019-08-24
Line count: 12
Word count: 95

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This website began in 1995 as a personal project by Emily Ezust, who has been working on it full-time without a salary since 2008. Our research has never had any government or institutional funding, so if you found the information here useful, please consider making a donation. Your help is greatly appreciated!
–Emily Ezust, Founder

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