Star of descending night! fair is thy light in the west! thou liftest thy unshorn head from thy cloud; thy steps are stately on thy hill. What dost thou behold in the plain? The stormy winds are laid. The murmur of the torrent comes from afar. Roaring waves climb the distant rock. The flies of evening are on their feeble wings; the hum of their course is on the field. What dost thou behold, fair light? But thou dost smile and depart. The waves come with joy around thee: they bathe thy lovely hair. Farewell, thou silent beam! Let the light of Ossian's soul arise!
About the headline (FAQ)
Confirmed with James MacPherson, The Poems of Ossian, Volume I, Edinburgh: James Ballantyne, 1805, in The Songs of Selma, pages 451 - 453.
Authorship:
- by James Macpherson (pretending to translate "Ossian") (1736 - 1796), no title, appears in The Songs of Selma [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):
- [ None yet in the database ]
Settings in other languages, adaptations, or excerpts:
- Also set in German (Deutsch), a translation by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749 - 1832) , no title, appears in Leiden des jungen Werther [novel] ; composed by Hans Georg Nägeli, Johann Rudolf Zumsteeg.
Other available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- FRE French (Français) (Auguste Lacaussade) , no title, first published 1842
Researcher for this text: Melanie Trumbull
This text was added to the website: 2017-06-15
Line count: 16
Word count: 105
Stern der dämmernden Nacht, Schön funkelst du in Westen, Hebst dein strahlend Haupt aus deiner Wolken, Wandelst stattlich deinen Hügel hin. Wornach blickst du auf die Haide? Die stürmenden Winde haben sich gelegt; Von ferne kommt des Gießbachs Murmeln; Rauschende Wellen spielen am Felsen ferne; Das Gesumme der Abendfliegen schwärmt über's Feld. Wornach siehst du, schönes Licht? Aber du lächelst und gehst; Freudig umgeben dich die Wellen, Und baden dein liebliches Haar. Lebe wohl, ruhiger Strahl. Erscheine, du herrliches Licht von Ossians Seele!
About the headline (FAQ)
Confirmed with Leiden des jungen Werther in Goethe's Werke, zwölfter Band, Stuttgart und Tubingen: J. G. Cotta'sche Buchhandlung, 1817, page 169.
Authorship:
- by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749 - 1832), no title, appears in Leiden des jungen Werther [novel] [author's text checked 1 time against a primary source]
Based on:
- a text in English by James Macpherson (pretending to translate "Ossian") (1736 - 1796), no title, appears in The Songs of Selma
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
- by Hans Georg Nägeli (1773 - 1836), "Die Mondnacht", c1795-7 [ voice and piano ] [sung text not yet checked]
- by Johann Rudolf Zumsteeg (1760 - 1802), "Colma", published c1793 [sung text checked 1 time]
Researcher for this text: Melanie Trumbull
This text was added to the website: 2017-06-01
Line count: 15
Word count: 83