by Hermann Hesse (1877 - 1962)
Translation © by Salvador Pila

Lej Nair
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Our translations:  CAT ENG
Hinter strengem Felsenriegel
Den die Weidenrosen mildern,
Dehnt sich dunkeln Wassers Spiegel,
Wolken, Wald und Berg zu schildern.

Schwarze Bläue, kühle Feuchte
Füllt die Mulde satt, ihr Schweigen
Scheint vom See hinauf zur Leuchte
Frischen Gipfelschnees zu steigen.

Talwärts mit verschlafenem Rieseln
Träge Wasserfäden schleichen,
Über Schlamm und braunen Kieseln
Alte Baumgerippe bleichen.

Arve starrt und Lärche schattet,
Selbst der Wind, noch eben rege,
Zögert jetzt und sucht ermattet,
Wo er sich zur Ruhe lege.

Please note: this text, provided here for educational and research use, is in the public domain in Canada, but it may still be copyright in other legal jurisdictions. The LiederNet Archive makes no guarantee that the above text is public domain in your country. Please consult your country's copyright statutes or a qualified IP attorney to verify whether a certain text is in the public domain in your country or if downloading or distributing a copy constitutes fair use. The LiederNet Archive assumes no legal responsibility or liability for the copyright compliance of third parties.

Confirmed with Hermann Hesse, Sämtliche Werke, herausgegeben von Volker Michels, Band 10 Die Gedichte, bearbeitet von Peter Huber, Frankfurt am Main: Suhrkamp Verlag, 2002, pages 394-395.


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) , "Llac Negre", copyright © 2025, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
  • ENG English (Sharon Krebs) , "Black lake", copyright © 2014, (re)printed on this website with kind permission


Researcher for this page: Sharon Krebs [Guest Editor]

This text was added to the website: 2014-08-02
Line count: 16
Word count: 75

Llac Negre
Language: Catalan (Català)  after the German (Deutsch) 
Darrere d’una rigorosa barrera de rocam
que les roses silvestres assuaugen,
s’estén el fosc mirall d’aigua
per reflectir núvols, boscos i muntanyes.

Fosca blavor, fresc rellent
omplen del tot la fondalada, llur silenci
sembla enlairar-se des del llac
vers la lluminositat de la neu verge dels cims.

Vers la vall, amb un degotim somnolent,
s’esmunyen indolents fils d’aigua,
damunt el llot i el bru pedruscall,
carcasses de vells arbres es decoloren.

Els pins l’esguarden i les aloses hi projecten l’ombra,
àdhuc el vent, que tot just era fort
hesita i, ara fatigat, cerca
un lloc per reposar.

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from German (Deutsch) to Catalan (Català) copyright © 2025 by Salvador Pila, (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:

  • a text in German (Deutsch) by Hermann Hesse (1877 - 1962), "Lej Nair", subtitle: "Kleiner schwarzer Waldsee im Engadin über Surlej", written 1961, first published 1962

 

This text was added to the website: 2025-03-28
Line count: 16
Word count: 97