Am See
Language: German (Deutsch)
Still liegt der See. -- Voll Majestät
Der Vollmond hinter Wölkchen geht
Des Wegs in hehrem Frieden:
Da plötzlich zeigt der Alpen Kranz
Sich in des Mondlichts hellstem Glanz,
Vom Himmel scharf geschieden.
Als wüchsen zu den Sternen auf
Die Firnen aus der Fluth herauf,
So will's dem Blicke scheinen;
O sieh! wie nun in blauem Licht
Sie schaun mit hehrem Angesicht
Zum See, dem spiegelreinen! --
Steigt auf auch ihr aus meiner Brust,
Nur Gott, dem Herrn, allein bewußt,
Hochheilige Gedanken!
Und kehrt zurück mir in das Herz
Im Friedensschimmer erdenwärts
Vom Himmel ohne Schranken!
Confirmed with Liederbuch von Friedrich Oser, 1842-1874. Mit einem biographischen Verzeichnis der Componisten, Basel: Benno Schwabe, Verlagsbuchhandlung, 1875, pages 115-116.
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):
- ENG English (Sharon Krebs) , "At the lake", copyright © 2025, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Researcher for this page: Sharon Krebs
[Senior Associate Editor]This text was added to the website: 2025-09-01
Line count: 18
Word count: 95
At the lake
Language: English  after the German (Deutsch)
The lake lies quietly. -- Full of majesty,
The full moon wends its way behind
The cloudlets in lofty peace:
Then suddenly the wreath of alpine peaks
Shows itself in the brightest radiance of the moon,
Sharply defined against the sky.
[It is] as if the old snows were growing
Upward to the stars from out of the waters,
Thus it seems to my gaze;
Oh see! how now in the blue light
[The snows] gaze down with noble visage
To the lake, to the mirror-pure [lake]! --
Rise up as well from my breast,
Known only to the Lord God,
Ye most holy of thoughts!
And return earthward into my heart
From Heaven without any barriers
In the shimmer of peace!
Text Authorship:
- Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2025 by Sharon Krebs, (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:
This text was added to the website: 2025-09-30
Line count: 18
Word count: 121