by Anonymous / Unidentified Author
Translation © by Malcolm Wren

Der Wintertag
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Our translations:  CAT ENG
In schöner heller Winterzeit
Ward eine Maid geboren,
Der Winter, den ihr Anblick freut,
Hat sie zum Lieb erkoren.

Sprach: Leben wie der Schnee so weiß -
Wie Eis so klares Denken,
Doch gleich der Wunderquelle heiß,
Will ich ein Herz ihr schenken.

Es wird, wenn sie den Gatten wählt,
Die Wahl sie nie betrüben,
Sie ist ihm theurer als die Welt,
Er wird sie ewig lieben.

Je länger währt das süße Band,
Das innig sie verbunden,
Je fester schließt sich Hand in Hand
Für trüb' und frohe Stunden.

Und jedes Herz der Ihren schlägt
Ihr wandellos entgegen,
Und jedes einen Wunsch nur hegt
Für sie den schönsten Segen.

Und all die Deinen bitten dich,
Der Vater und die Kinder,
Wir lieben dich so inniglich,
O liebe uns nicht minder.

Note for Schubert's setting: when stanza 4, line 4 is repeated, it becomes "In trüb' und frohen Stunden"


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):

  • by Franz Peter Schubert (1797 - 1828), "Der Wintertag", op. posth. 169, D 984, published 1865, first performed 1863 [ ttbb quartet with piano ], C. A. Spina's Nachfolger, VN933, Wien. note: fragment, piano part lost (supplemented by J. P. Gotthard) [sung text checked 1 time]

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

  • CAT Catalan (Català) (Salvador Pila) , "El dia d'hivern", copyright © 2019, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
  • ENG English (Malcolm Wren) , "The winter day", copyright © 2020, (re)printed on this website with kind permission


Research team for this page: Emily Ezust [Administrator] , Peter Rastl [Guest Editor]

This text was added to the website: 2017-11-19
Line count: 24
Word count: 129

The winter day
Language: English  after the German (Deutsch) 
In beautiful, bright winter time
A girl was born,
Winter, who rejoiced in her appearance,
Chose her as his lover.

He said: A life as white as snow - 
A mind as clear as ice,
Yet just as hot as a healing spring
Will be the heart that I bestow on her.

When she chooses her husband she will
Never regret that choice,
She is dearer to him than the whole world,
He will love her for ever.

The longer it lasts, that sweet union
That has bound them intimately,
The more firmly they will clasp each other's hand
In both dark and joyful times.

And each heart that beats for her
Firmly and in unchanging sympathy,
Each one has just one wish - 
The most beautiful blessing for her.

And all your loved ones beg you,
Father and children alike,
We love you so dearly,
Oh do not love us any less.

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2020 by Malcolm Wren, (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: 2020-12-26
Line count: 24
Word count: 151