by Adolf Frey (1855 - 1920)
Translation © by Emily Ezust

Das Schlummerlied
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Our translations:  ENG
In begrünter Sommerlaube,
d'ran die schwanken Winden ranken,
sitzt und sinnt die blonde Jungfrau,
Schläfrig summen Bienenflüge.
Und der Springquell plätschert träumrisch,
zwitschernd schwirren Giebelschwalben;
und aus lauen Blauen Lüften
schaukeln Falter auf die Blumen.

Die gesunknen weissen Lider
überhaucht ein leiser Schlummer;
kommt des Wegs ein blasser Wandrer
durch des Gartens blüh'nde Büsche,
kommt der Wandrer Tod gegangen,
an die dürren Lippen setzt er
eine Flöte grau und beinern,
spielt der Schläferin ein feines,
schwermutvolles Schlummerlied.

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):

  • ENG English (Emily Ezust) , "Lullaby", copyright ©


Research team for this page: Jakob Kellner , Malcolm Wren [Guest Editor] , Melanie Trumbull

This text was added to the website: 2003-10-12
Line count: 17
Word count: 77

Lullaby
Language: English  after the German (Deutsch) 
In the green summer foliage,
where the vibrating vines creep,
the blonde maiden sits and thinks,
the flitting bees humming drowsily.
The fountain babbles dreamily,
swallows twitter and chirp;
from the warm blue sky come breezes 
that swing the butterflies to and fro upon the flowers.

Upon white, closed eyelids
breathes gentle slumber.
A pale traveller comes down the path
through the flowering bushes of the garden;
the traveler Death is coming.
At his withered lips he holds
a flute, made of grey bone,
and he plays to the slumberer a pretty
and melancholy lullaby.

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 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 Archive

    For any other purpose, please write to the e-mail address below to request permission and discuss possible fees.


Based on:

 

This text was added to the website: 2003-10-12
Line count: 17
Word count: 95