by Heinrich Heine (1797 - 1856)
Translation by Emma Lazarus (1849 - 1887)
Wir saßen am Fischerhause
Language: German (Deutsch)
Wir saßen am Fischerhause, Und schauten nach der See; Die Abendnebel kamen, Und stiegen in die Höh'. Im Leuchtturm wurden die Lichter Allmählich angesteckt, Und in der weiten Ferne Ward noch ein Schiff entdeckt. Wir sprachen von Sturm und Schiffbruch, Vom Seemann, und wie er lebt, Und zwischen Himmel und Wasser, Und Angst und Freude schwebt. Wir sprachen von fernen Küsten, Vom Süden und vom Nord, Und von den seltsamen Menschen Und seltsamen Sitten dort. Am Ganges duftet's und leuchtet's, Und Riesenbäume blühn, Und schöne, stille Menschen Vor Lotosblumen knien. In Lappland sind schmutzige Leute, Plattköpfig, breitmäulig, klein; Sie kauern ums Feuer und backen Sich Fische, und quäken und schrein. Die Mädchen horchten ernsthaft, Und endlich sprach niemand mehr; Das Schiff war nicht mehr sichtbar, Es dunkelte gar zu sehr.
About the headline (FAQ)
Text Authorship:
- by Heinrich Heine (1797 - 1856), no title, appears in Buch der Lieder, in Die Heimkehr, no. 7 [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 Christian Bruhn (b. 1934), "Wir saßen am Fischerhaus" [ voice and orchestra ], from Heine-Lieder, no. 3 [sung text not yet checked]
- by Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco (1895 - 1968), "Am Leuchtturm", op. 60 (Drei Heine-Lieder) no. 2 (1929), published 1933 [sung text not yet checked]
- by Don Forsythe (1932 - 2015), "Am Fischerhause", published c2004 [sung text not yet checked]
- by Alfred Reisenauer (1863 - 1907), "Wir saßen am Fischerhause", published 1899 [ voice and piano ], from Sechs Gedichte für 1 Singstimme mit Pianofortebegleitung, no. 3, Berlin, Fürstner [sung text not yet checked]
- by Robert Schumann (1810 - 1856), "Abends am Strand", op. 45 (Romanzen und Balladen für Singstimme und Klavier (Heft 1)) no. 3 (1840), published 1844 [ voice and piano ], Leipzig, Whistling [sung text checked 1 time]
- by Johann Vesque von Püttlingen (1803 - 1883), "Am Meere", op. 22 (Abendbilder : Gedichte aus Heine's "Reisebildern") no. 2, published 1851, from Die Heimkehr : 88 Gedichte aus H. Heine's Reisebildern, no. 7 [sung text not yet checked]
Settings in other languages, adaptations, or excerpts:
- Also set in English, a translation by Anonymous/Unidentified Artist ; composed by Walter Bell.
- Go to the text. [Note: the text is not in the database yet.]
- Go to the text. [Note: the text is not in the database yet.]
- Also set in French (Français), a translation by Maurice Dufresne (d. 1953) ; composed by Tibor Harsányi.
- Go to the text. [Note: the text is not in the database yet.]
- Go to the text. [Note: the text is not in the database yet.]
Other available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- CAT Catalan (Català) (Salvador Pila) , copyright © 2021, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- DUT Dutch (Nederlands) [singable] (Lau Kanen) , "'s Avonds aan het strand", copyright © 2012, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- ENG English (Emily Ezust) , "We sat at the fisherman's house", copyright ©
- ENG English (Emma Lazarus) , appears in Poems and Ballads of Heinrich Heine, first published 1881
- FRE French (Français) (Pierre Mathé) , copyright © 2009, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- ITA Italian (Italiano) (Ferdinando Albeggiani) , "Presso la casa del pescatore", copyright © 2010, (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: 28
Word count: 130
We sat in the fisher's cabin
Language: English after the German (Deutsch)
We sat in the fisher's cabin, Looking out upon the sea. Then came the mists of evening, Ascending silently. The lights began in the lighthouse One after one to burn, And on the far horizon A ship we could still discern. We spake of storm and shipwreck, The sailor and how he thrives, And how betwixt heaven and ocean, And joy and sorrow he strives. We spake of distant countries, South, North, and everywhere, And of the curious people, And curious customs there; The fragrance and light of the Ganges, That giant-trees embower, Where a beautiful tranquil people Kneel to the lotus flower; Of the unclean folk in Lapland, Broad-mouthed and flat-headed and small, Who cower upon the hearthstone, Bake fish, and cackle and squall. The maidens listen gravely, Then never a word was said, The ship we could see no longer; It was far too dark o'erhead.
About the headline (FAQ)
Text Authorship:
- by Emma Lazarus (1849 - 1887), appears in Poems and Ballads of Heinrich Heine, first published 1881 [author's text not yet checked against a primary source]
Based on:
- a text in German (Deutsch) by Heinrich Heine (1797 - 1856), no title, appears in Buch der Lieder, in Die Heimkehr, no. 7
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
- [ None yet in the database ]
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
This text was added to the website: 2008-04-18
Line count: 28
Word count: 148