by Matthias Claudius (1740 - 1815)
Translation © by Emily Ezust

Er liegt und schläft an meinem Herzen
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Available translation(s): CAT DUT ENG ENG FRE ITA TUR
Er liegt und schläft an meinem Herzen,
Mein guter [Schutzgeist]1 sang ihn ein;
Und ich kann frölich seyn und scherzen,
Kann jeder Blum' und jedes Blatts mich freun.
[Nachtigall,]2 Nachtigall, ach!
Sing mir den Amor nicht wach!

About the headline (FAQ)

View original text (without footnotes)

Confirmed with ASMUS omnia sua SECUM portans, oder Sämmtliche Werke des Wandsbecker Bothen, I. und II. Theil. Beym Verfasser, und in Commißion bey Fr. Perthes in Hamburg. [1774], page 56; and with Musenalmanach MDCCLXXII. Göttingen bey J.C.Dieterich, page 21.

First published in Der Wandsbecker Bothe. Ao. 1771. No. 70. Mittwochs, den 1sten May.

1 Claudius (Wandsbecker Bote; Musenalmanach): "Engel"
2 Schubert: "Nachtigall, ach!"

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) , copyright © 2018, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
  • DUT Dutch (Nederlands) [singable] (Lau Kanen) , "Aan de nachtegaal", copyright © 2006, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
  • ENG English (Emily Ezust) , "He lies sleeping by my heart", copyright ©
  • ENG English [singable] (Shula Keller) , "To the nightingale", copyright © 2008, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
  • FRE French (Français) (Guy Laffaille) , "Au rossignol", copyright © 2010, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
  • ITA Italian (Italiano) (Ferdinando Albeggiani) , "Mi giace, dormendo, sul cuore", copyright © 2012, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
  • TUR Turkish (Türkçe) (Gül Sabar) , "Bülbüle", copyright © 2012, (re)printed on this website with kind permission


Research team for this text: Richard Morris , Peter Rastl [Guest Editor]

This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 6
Word count: 37

He lies sleeping by my heart
Language: English  after the German (Deutsch) 
 He lies sleeping by my heart:
 My good protective spirit sang to him;
 And I can be joyous and jocular,
 I can delight in every flower and leaf.
 Nightingale, oh! Nightingale, oh!
 Do not sing my love awake!

Authorship:

  • Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © by Emily Ezust

    Emily Ezust permits her translations to be reproduced without prior permission for printed (not online) programs to free-admission concerts only, provided the following credit is given:

    Translation copyright © by Emily Ezust,
    from the LiederNet Archive -- https://www.lieder.net/

    For any other purpose, please write to the e-mail address below to request permission and discuss possible fees.


Based on:

 

This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 6
Word count: 39