by
Julius Zeyer (1841 - 1901)
Jednání IV. Ó, mladosti, jsi jako zlatý pták
Language: Czech (Čeština)
Available translation(s): ENG
Sbor
Ó, mladosti, jsi jako zlatý pták,
co vzlétl zoře vstříc, křídloma třepotaje,
a dole tmí se les, barnavý mrak,
kam brzy dopadneš!
V života truchlé taje se ponoříš,
a třeba mihotaje
se vlastní obraz tvému ještě zjeví zraku—
ó, marně po něm sáhneš!
Padá do soumraku,
jenž minulostí sluje.
Ó, mladosti, proč krátká tak tvá vesna,
když stesk tak dlouhý po zbuzení ze sna?
Žel, mladosti, že pluje tvá nav tak rychle,
tak uniká zraku!
Ó, žel, že zachází vše do soumraku,
vše do soumraku!
(Při pomalu doznívajících zvucích písně té
vychází měsíc, osvětluje zahradu,
kmen stromu Mahulenina stává se průhledným,
je dívku v něm viděti, zdá se jako v polosnu.
Listí zašelestí jako silnějším příbojem větru
a dívka mluví jako ve vidění.)
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):
- ENG English (Patrick John Corness) , "Act IV. O my youth, you are like a golden bird", copyright © 2023, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Researcher for this page: Patrick John Corness
This text was added to the website: 2023-11-08
Line count: 23
Word count: 124
Act IV. O my youth, you are like a golden bird
Language: English  after the Czech (Čeština)
Chorus
O my youth, you are like a golden bird,
flying up towards the dawn star, its wings a-tremble,
the forest below in dark gloom covered,
where soon you will find yourself!
In life’s secrets mournful you’ll be immersed,
and perhaps just now and then
your own image will be visible to you again—
o, you will reach out in vain!
In the dark it’s soon gone,
the darkness they call the past.
O youth, why is thy springtime so soon over,
when languor on awakening does linger?
Woe, youth, your craft sails so fast,
at such a pace that to view it is lost!
O, woe that all vanishes into darkness,
all into darkness!
(As this song fades away,
the moon rises, illuminating the garden,
and the trunk of Mahulena’s tree becomes transparent.
The girl is visible within it, apparently half asleep.
The leaves rustle as if blown by a powerful gust of wind
and the girl speaks as in a vision.)
Authorship:
- Translation from Czech (Čeština) to English copyright © 2023 by Patrick John Corness, (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: 2023-11-08
Line count: 23
Word count: 163