Attention! Some of this material is not in the public domain.
It is illegal to copy and distribute our copyright-protected material without permission. It is also illegal to reprint copyright texts or translations without the name of the author or translator.
To inquire about permissions and rates, contact Emily Ezust at 
If you wish to reprint translations, please make sure you include the names of the translators in your email. They are below each translation.
Note: You must use the copyright symbol © when you reprint copyright-protected material.
O sähst du mich jetzt beten zu deinen [heiligtiefen]1 Augen, die fragend zu mir flehten wie nach Liebe, du schlössest deine tiefen Augen, daß ich nicht drein [versinke]2 wie in Liebe. O sähst du, wie ich bete zu deiner kinderfrohen Seele, [die bittend zu mir flehte wie nach Leben,]3 es schwiege deine Kinderseele, daß sie nicht untergehe in meiner Liebe.
1 Marx: "heilig tiefen"
2 Marx: "vergehe"
3 omitted by Marx
Authorship
- by Ernst Heinz Hess (b. 1881) [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 Ernst Adolf Boehe (1880 - 1938), "Nachtgebet", op. 1 no. 4 (1900), published 1900 [voice and piano], from Vier Lieder für 1 Singstimme mit Pianofortebegleitung, no. 4, München, Schmid Nachf. [ sung text checked 1 time]
- by Joseph Marx (1882 - 1964), "Nachtgebet", 1910, published 1912 [tenor and piano], in Lieder und Gesänge, II. Folge, Nr. 26 [ sung text checked 1 time]
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- ENG English (Linda Godry) , "Night prayer", copyright © 2004, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- FRE French (Français) (Guy Laffaille) , "Prière de la nuit", copyright © 2012, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Research team for this text: John Versmoren , Peter Rastl [Guest Editor]
This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 14
Word count: 60
Oh, if you could see me worship now your sacred deep eyes, who beseechingly question me as if for love; you would close your deep eyes, so that I wouldn't drown in your love. Oh, if you could see me worship now your innocent soul, your innocent soul would remain silent so that it wouldn't drown In my love.
Authorship
- Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2004 by Linda Godry, (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.
Contact: 
- a text in German (Deutsch) by Ernst Heinz Hess (b. 1881)
This text was added to the website: 2004-11-13
Line count: 12
Word count: 59