Im kalten, rauhen Norden
Ist Kunde mir geworden
Von [einer]1 Sonnenstadt.
Wo weilt das Schiff, wo [winkt]2 der Pfad,
Die mich zu [ihren]3 Hallen tragen?
Von Menschen konnt' ich nichts erfragen, -
[In]4 Zwiespalt waren sie [verloren]5.
Zur Blume, die sich Helios erkoren,
Die ewig in sein Antlitz blickt,
Wandt' ich mich nun, - und ward entzückt:

»Wende, so wie ich, zur Sonne
Deine [Blicke]6! Dort ist Wonne,
Dort ist Leben; 
Treu ergeben,
Pilg're zu, und zweifle nicht;
Ruhe findest du im Licht;
Licht erzeuget alle Gluten, -
Hoffnungspflanzen, Thatenfluten!«

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Confirmed with Gedichte von Johann Mayrhofer. Neue Sammlung. Aus dessen Nachlasse mit Biographie und Vorwort herausgegeben von Ernst Freih. v. Feuchtersleben. Wien, 1843. Verlag von Ignaz Klang, Buchhändler, pages 195-196.

Note: Schubert received Mayrhofer's texts in handwriting; the manuscripts of his cycle Heliopolis, dedicated to Franz von Schober, are preserved in the Vienna City Library. The printed edition of Mayrhofer's poems appeared much later and presents the texts in a revised version. This poem (originally no. 5 of the cycle) is now no. 1 of the cycle in the printed edition. Here the cycle is preceded by a motto:

Ein altes Thema, vorgetragen
In grauen Zeiten, laß uns variiren!
Wir dürfen, wenn wir auch Ikarisiren -
Uns öfters noch zur Sonne wagen!
1821.

¹ Schubert; and Mayrhofer's manuscript: "einer Stadt, der"
² Schubert; and Mayrhofer's manuscript: "ist"
³ Schubert: "jenen"
⁴ Schubert; and Mayrhofer's manuscript: "Im"
⁵ Schubert; and Mayrhofer's manuscript: "verworren"
⁶ Schubert; and Mayrhofer's manuscript: "Augen"

Text Authorship:

• by Johann Baptist Mayrhofer (1787 - 1836), "Heliopolis", appears in Heliopolis, no. 5 [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 Arthur Dangel (b. 1931), "Aus Heliopolis", op. 65 no. 3 (1993) [ alto and piano ], from Drei Lieder mit den Liedertexten von Schuberts, no. 3 [sung text not yet checked]
• by Franz Peter Schubert (1797 - 1828), "Heliopolis I", alternate title: "Aus Heliopolis I", op. 65 (Drei Lieder) no. 3, D 753 (1822), published 1826 [ voice, piano ], Cappi & Czerny, VN 221, Wien [sung text checked 1 time]

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

• CAT Catalan (Català) (Salvador Pila) , copyright © 2017, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
• DUT Dutch (Nederlands) [singable] (Lau Kanen) , copyright © 2007, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
• ENG English (Emily Ezust) , no title, copyright ©
• FRE French (Français) (Guy Laffaille) , copyright © 2010, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
• ITA Italian (Italiano) (Amelia Maria Imbarrato) , copyright © 2008, (re)printed on this website with kind permission

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

This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 18
Word count: 87

Nel freddo, aspro nord, 
mi è giunta notizia 
di una città, la Città del Sole. 
Dove attende la nave, dov'è il sentiero 
che mi porta a quelle sale? 
Dalle persone non potei sapere nulla, 
tutti erano perduti nel dubbio. 
Verso il fiore, che si volge al sole, 
che sempre lo guarda in viso, 
mi volsi, e ne fui incantato. 

Volgi, come me, gli occhi verso il sole! 
Là è gioia, 
là è vita; con fede e devozione va', 
e non avere dubbi; 
trovi pace nelle luce. 
La luce porta ogni splendore, 
piante di speranza, fiumi di azioni!