O wie wogt es sich schön auf der Fluth, 
Wenn die müde Welle im Schlummer ruht!
Leise verschwand der letzte Sonnenschein
Und sich die Sterne dort oben reihn.
Und sich der Nachthauch hebt so sanft und mild,
Düfte entathmend aus fernem Gefild.
O wie [woget und singet es sich]1 hold, 
Trocknend der nassen Locken Gold.
[O wie schwimmt sichs so]2 schön auf der Fluth, 
Wenn nichts als wir [an der Brust ihr]3 ruht. 
Der Wächter lehnet im [Dämmerungschein]4
Über dem Thurm, den die Zeit stürzt ein, 
[Bekreuzet sich, brummt]5 ein frommes Gebet 
Und horcht auf das Lüftchen, das [zauberisch]6 weht. 
[O wie schwimmt sichs und singt sich's so hold, 
Trocknend indess der Locken Gold.]7

About the headline (FAQ)

View original text (without footnotes)

Confirmed with Oberon. King of the Fairies, A Romantic Fairy Opera, The Text adapted to the German Stage by Theodore Hell (In German and English), London: A. Schloss, >>1841, page 34.

¹ Weber: "wogt und singt sich's"
² Weber: "O, wie wogt es sich"
³ Weber: "ihr am Busen"
⁴ Weber: "Dämmrungschein"
⁵ Weber: "Bekreuzt sich, murmelt "
⁶ Weber: "zaubrisch"
⁷ Weber: "O, wie wogt und singt sich's hold / Trocknend der nassen Locken Gold."

Text Authorship:

• by Karl Gottfried Theodor Winkler (1775 - 1856), as Theodor Hell, no title [an adaptation] [author's text checked 1 time against a primary source]

Based on:

• a text in English by James Robinson Planché (1796 - 1880), no title
  • Go to the text page.

Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):

• by Carl Maria (Friedrich Ernst) von Weber (1786 - 1826), "O wie wogt es sich schön", J 306 no. 14 (1825-1826), from opera Oberon, no. 14 [sung text checked 1 time]

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

• ENG English (Albert Schloss) , no title
• ENG English (Sharon Krebs) , "Oh, how lovely to undulate", copyright © 2024, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
• FRE French (Français) (Guy Laffaille) , "Oh, comme il est doux de flotter sur les flots", copyright © 2024, (re)printed on this website with kind permission

Research team for this page: Emily Ezust [Administrator] , Sharon Krebs [Guest Editor]

This text was added to the website: 2024-10-01
Line count: 16
Word count: 121

Oh, how lovely to undulate upon the waters,
When the weary wave rests in slumber!
Quietly the last sunshine has vanished
And the stars on high appear in their formations.
And the night breeze rises so gently and mildly,
Breathing forth scents from distant fields.
Oh how lovely to undulate and sing upon the waters,
Drying the gold of our wet curls.
Oh how lovely to [swim]1 upon the waters,
When nothing but we rest upon the waters' [breast]1.
In the twilight glow the watchman leans out
Over the tower, which time shall cause to collapse,
He crosses himself, [growls]3 a pious prayer
And hearkens to the breeze that blows magically.
[Oh how lovely to swim and sing,
The meanwhile drying the gold of our curls.]4