by
Siegfried Kapper (1821 - 1879)
Die Nonne
Language: German (Deutsch)
Der Klosterthurm ist so fest gebaut --
Sie führen hinein die Himmelsbraut;
Sie haben gebrochen den Urtheilsstab,
Und mauern sie ein in's Mauergrab. --
Ein Edelherr reitet über die Haid':
"Was hat euch gethan die arme Maid?
Und kostet's mein Leben, wohlan -- es sei,
Tod, oder die Holde mein eigen und frei!" --
Der Wind, er wehet so lind, so leis';
Der Wetterhahn singt die alte Weis' --
"Was hallt so dumpf? ist's Hammerschlag?" --
Wohl hallt es [in's]1 im Grab der Nonne nach.
Der Wind umbrauset so wild den Thurm --
"Was, Wetterhahn, singst du dein Lied in den Sturm?"
""Ich sing' von der Rose ein trauriges Lied,
Dir hat sie geglüht, dir ist sie verblüht!""
Available sung texts: (what is this?)
• W. Goethe View original text (without footnotes)
Confirmed with Slavische Melodien von Siegfried Kapper, Leipzig: Wilhelm Einhorn, 1844, pages 37-38.
1 von Goethe: "im"
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 (Sharon Krebs) , "The nun", copyright © 2025, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Researcher for this page: Sharon Krebs
[Senior Associate Editor]This text was added to the website: 2025-11-30
Line count: 16
Word count: 113
The nun
Language: English after the German (Deutsch)
The nunnery's tower is so strongly built --
Into it they lead the bride of Heaven;
They have broken the staff of judgement,
And immure her into a walled grave. --
A noble lord rides over the heath:
"What has that poor maiden done to [harm] you?
And though it cost me my life, well then -- so be it,
Death, or the lovely one as my own and free!" --
The wind, it blows so gently, so quietly;
The weather-vane sings the old lay --
"What echoes do dully? Is it the pounding of a hammer?" --
It must well echo [into]1 the grave of the nun.
The wind roars so wildly around the tower --
"Weather-vane, what is it you sing into the storm?"
""I sing a sad song of the rose,
For you she glowed, for youshe faded [and perished]!""
View original text (without footnotes)
1 von Goethe: "within"
Text Authorship:
- Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2025 by Sharon Krebs, (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: 2025-12-01
Line count: 16
Word count: 139
