Wir gingen durch die [stille, milde]1 Nacht,
Dein Arm in meinem, 
Dein Auge in meinem.
Der Mond goß silbernes Licht 
Über dein Angesicht,
Wie auf Goldgrund ruhte dein schönes Haupt.
Und du erschienst mir wie eine Heilige,
Mild, mild und groß und [seelenübervoll]2,
[Heilig]3 und rein wie die liebe Sonne.
Und in die Augen
Schwoll mir ein warmer Drang, 
Wie Tränenahnung.
Fester faßt' ich dich 
Und küßte -- 
Küßte dich ganz leise --
Meine Seele weinte.

About the headline (FAQ)

View original text (without footnotes)
¹ Berg: "dunkle, milde" ; Reger: "stille"; Mauke: "dunkle, wilde"; further changes for Mauke's setting may exist not shown above.
² Reger: "wonneübervoll"
³ Berg: "Gütig"

Text Authorship:

• by Otto Julius Bierbaum (1865 - 1910), "Nachtgang" [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 Heinrich, Freiherr von Bach (1835 - 1915), as Heinrich Molbe, "Nachtgesang", op. 108 (Sechs Lieder von Otto Julius Bierbaum für eine Singstimme mit Klavierbegleitung) no. 6, published 1903 [ voice and piano ], Wien, Rudolf C. Lindner & Rörich [sung text not yet checked]
• by Alban Maria Johannes Berg (1885 - 1935), "Nachtgesang", 1904-5 [ voice and piano ], from Jugendlieder, Vol. I (1901-04), no. 26 [sung text checked 1 time]
• by Alexander von Fielitz (1860 - 1930), "Nachtgang", op. 54 (Sechs Gedichte für 1 Singstimme mit Pianofortebegleitung) no. 4, published 1896 [ voice and piano ], Leipzig, Breitkopf & Härtel [sung text not yet checked]
• by Ivar Henning Mankell (1868 - 1930), "Nachtgang", 1904 [ voice and piano ] [sung text not yet checked]
• by Wilhelm Mauke (1867 - 1930), "Nachtgang", op. 18 (Drei Gesänge für 1 hohe Singstimme und Pianofortebegleitung) no. 3, published 1896 [ high voice and piano ], München, Jos. Seiling [sung text not yet checked]
• by Max Reger (1873 - 1916), "Nachtgang", op. 51 (Zwölf Lieder) no. 7 (1900), published 1901 [ medium voice and piano ], München, Aibl Verlag [sung text checked 1 time]
• by Richard Georg Strauss (1864 - 1949), "Nachtgang", op. 29 (Drei Lieder nach Gedichten von Otto Julius Bierbaum) no. 3 (1895), published 1895 [ voice and piano ], München, Aibl. [sung text checked 1 time]

Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):

• CAT Catalan (Català) (Manuel Capdevila i Font) , copyright © 2025, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
• CAT Catalan (Català) (Salvador Pila) , copyright © 2020, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
• DUT Dutch (Nederlands) [singable] (Lau Kanen) , copyright © 2019, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
• ENG English (Emily Ezust) , no title, copyright ©
• FRE French (Français) (Pierre Mathé) , "Sortie nocturne", copyright © 2009, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
• ITA Italian (Italiano) (Amelia Maria Imbarrato) , "Passeggiata notturna", copyright © 2005, (re)printed on this website with kind permission

Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]

This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 16
Word count: 78

We walked through the silent, mild night,
your arm in mine, 
your eyes in mine.
The moon poured silver light 
upon your face,
as though gold rested on your fair head.
And you appeared to me an angel,
mild, mild and great and overflowing with soul,
holy and pure like the dear sun.
And in my eyes 
swelled urgent warmth,
as of threatening tears.
I held you tighter 
and kissed you, 
kissed you very softly.
My soul wept.