by Hans Bethge (1876 - 1946)
Translation by (Stephanie) Hélène Swarth (1859 - 1941)
Mein Schiff treibt durch das Wasser...
Language: German (Deutsch) after the Chinese (中文)
Mein Schiff treibt durch das Wasser leicht dahin, -- Ich seh sein Speigelbild auf klarer [Flut]1. Am Himmel gehn die Wolken, stumme Wandrer, Und auch den Himmel seh ich in der Flut. Wenn eine Wolke an dem [blauen]2 Monde Vorübergleitet, fein wie ein Gedanke, So seh ich, wie sie unter mir verschwebt, Ein Märchenbild... Mir ist, mein Schiff zieht selig durch den Himmel, Ich fühle mich den Wolken nah' verwandt, Und plötzlich weiß ich: Wie der Himmel sich In diesem Wasser spiegelt, also blüht Das Bild meiner Geliebten mir im Herzen.
About the headline (FAQ)
View original text (without footnotes)Confirmed with Hans Bethge, Die chinesische Flöte, Insel Verlag, 1918, page 44.
1 Grimm, Provaznik: "See"2 omitted by Frumerie, Grimm, and Provaznik
Text Authorship:
- by Hans Bethge (1876 - 1946), "Auf dem Flusse", appears in Die chinesische Flöte [author's text checked 1 time against a primary source]
Based on:
- a text in Chinese (中文) by Tu Fu (712 - 770), "舟泛洞庭"
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
- by Hans Altmann (1904 - 1961), "Auf dem Flusse", op. 24 (7 Lieder aus "Die chinesische Flöte") no. 4, published c1963 [ voice and piano ] [sung text not yet checked]
- by Hans Altmann (1904 - 1961), "Auf dem Flusse", from Die chinesische Flöte, no. 3 [sung text not yet checked]
- by Gunnar de Frumerie (1908 - 1987), "Auf dem Flusse", 1929 [ voice and piano ], from Fyra kinesiska poem = Four Chinese Poems, no. 1 [sung text checked 1 time]
- by Friedrich Karl Grimm (b. 1902), "Auf dem Fluße", op. 67 no. 2, published 1956 [ voice and piano ], from Lieder der Empfindsamkeit, no. 2 [sung text checked 1 time]
- by Walter Jentsch (1900 - 1979), "Auf dem Flusse", op. 2 (Vier Lieder) no. 4, published 1937 [ voice and piano ], Berlin, Ries & Erler [sung text not yet checked]
- by Krzysztof Penderecki (1933 - 2020), "Auf dem Flüsse", copyright © 2018 [ baritone and orchestra ], from symphony Chinesische Lieder, no. 3 [sung text checked 1 time]
- by Anatol Provaznik (1887 - 1950), "Auf dem Flusse", op. 132 no. 2, published 1925, from Chinesische Flöte Lieder, no. 2 [sung text checked 1 time]
- by Felix Paul Weingartner (1863 - 1942), "Auf dem Flusse", op. 63 no. 4, published 1917 [ duet for soprano and tenor with piano ], from Blüten aus dem Osten, no. 4 [sung text not yet checked]
Settings in other languages, adaptations, or excerpts:
- Also set in Dutch (Nederlands), a translation by (Stephanie) Hélène Swarth (1859 - 1941) , "Op het water", appears in De Chineesche fluit ; composed by Tera de Marez-Oyens.
- Also set in French (Français), a translation by Adolphe Thalasso (1858 - 1919) , "Au fil de l'eau", appears in Anthologie de l'Amour asiatique, in 10. Chine, no. 46, Paris, Éd. du Mercure de France, first published 1906 ; composed by René Lenormand.
- Also set in French (Français), a translation by Judith Gautier (1845 - 1917) , "Sur le Fleuve Tchou", appears in Le livre de jade, 1867 edition, Paris, Éd. Alphonse Lemerre, first published 1867 ; composed by Henriette Puig-Roget.
- Also set in French (Français), a translation by Judith Gautier (1845 - 1917) , "Nuages dans l'eau", appears in Le livre de jade, 1902 edition, Paris: Lemerre, first published 1867 ; composed by Gabriel-André Fabre.
Other available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- CZE Czech (Čeština) (L. Horáková)
- ENG English [singable] (Friedrich Karl Grimm) , "On the river"
Research team for this page: Emily Ezust [Administrator] , Sharon Krebs [Guest Editor]
This text was added to the website: 2009-09-02
Line count: 13
Word count: 90
Mijn boot drijft licht door 't klare...
Language: Dutch (Nederlands) after the German (Deutsch)
Mijn boot drijft licht door 't klare water heen. In 't water zie 'k zijn spiegelbeeld. De wolken, Die stille zwervers, drijven aan den hemel En ook den hemel zie ik in den stroom. Wanneer een wolkje, fijn als een gedachte, Voorbij glijdt langs de volle blauwe maan, Zoo zie ik hoe het wégzweeft onder mij, Een sprookjesbeeld... 't Is of mijn bootje door den hemel dreef. De stille wolken voel ik mij verwant. En eensklaps weet ik: evenals de hemel Zich in het water spiegelt, evenzoo Bloeit in mijn hart het beeld van mijn geliefde.
About the headline (FAQ)
Confirmed with Hans Bethge, De Chineesche fluit (vert. Hélène Swarth), Amsterdam : Meulenhoff, 1921,, p.43
Text Authorship:
- by (Stephanie) Hélène Swarth (1859 - 1941), "Op het water", appears in De Chineesche fluit [author's text checked 1 time against a primary source]
Based on:
- a text in German (Deutsch) by Hans Bethge (1876 - 1946), "Auf dem Flusse", appears in Die chinesische Flöte
Based on:
- a text in Chinese (中文) by Tu Fu (712 - 770), "舟泛洞庭"
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
- by Tera de Marez-Oyens (1932 - 1996), "Auf dem Flusse", 1962 [ voice and orchestra or piano ], from Der chinesische Spiegel, no. 2 [sung text not yet checked]
Researcher for this page: Joost van der Linden [Guest Editor]
This text was added to the website: 2025-04-24
Line count: 13
Word count: 96