Der Schiffer
Language: German (Deutsch)
Our translations: CAT DUT ENG FRE ITA
Friedlich lieg' ich hingegossen,
Lenke hin und her das Ruder,
Athme kühl im Licht des Mondes,
Träume süß im stillen Muthe;
Gleiten lass' ich auch den Kahn,
Schaue in die blanken Fluthen,
Wo die Sterne lieblich schimmern,
Spiele wieder mit dem Ruder.
Säße doch das blonde Mägdlein
Vor mir auf dem Bänkchen ruhend,
Sänge schmachtend zarte Lieder.
Himmlisch wär' mir dann zu Muthe.
Ließ mich necken von dem Kinde,
Wieder tändelnd mit der Guten. -
Friedlich lieg' ich hingegossen,
Träume süß im stillen Muthe,
Athme kühl im Licht des Mondes,
Führe hin und her das Ruder.
Confirmed with Friedrich Schlegel's sämmtliche Werke. Erster Band. Gedichte. Berlin, bei Julius Eduard Hitzig, 1809, page 52; and with
Friedrich Schlegel’s sämmtliche Werke, Achter Band, Wien: bey Jakob Mayer und Compagnie, 1823, page 132.
Note: Schlegel, in the 1809 and 1816 editions, did not divide the poem into two stanzas.
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):
- CAT Catalan (Català) (Salvador Pila) , "El barquer", copyright © 2018, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- DUT Dutch (Nederlands) [singable] (Lau Kanen) , "De schipper", copyright © 2008, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- ENG English (Sharon Krebs) , "The boatman", copyright © 2017, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- FRE French (Français) (Guy Laffaille) , "Le marin", copyright © 2011, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- ITA Italian (Italiano) (Ferdinando Albeggiani) , "Il barcaiolo", copyright © 2009, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Research team for this page: Emily Ezust
[Administrator] , Sharon Krebs
[Guest Editor] , Peter Rastl
[Guest Editor] This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 18
Word count: 95
The boatman
Language: English after the German (Deutsch)
Peacefully I lie sprawled,
Plying the oar back and forth;
I breathe coolly in the light of the moon,
I dream sweetly in my quiet spirit;
I also let the boat drift,
Gaze into the shining waters
Where the stars shimmer so beautifully,
I play again with the oar.
If only the blonde maiden were sitting
Before me, resting upon the little seat,
Languidly singing gentle songs!
I would then be in a heavenly frame of mind,
I would let the little one tease me,
Would dally with her in return.
Peacefully I lie sprawled,
I dream sweetly in my quiet spirit,
I breathe coolly in the light of the moon,
I ply the oar back and forth.
Text Authorship:
- Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2017 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.
Contact: licenses@email.lieder.example.net
Based on:
- a text in German (Deutsch) by Friedrich von Schlegel (1772 - 1829), "Der Schiffer", written 1800-01, first published 1809
This text was added to the website: 2017-02-12
Line count: 18
Word count: 118