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by Hermann Hesse (1877 - 1962)

Auf einer Nachtwanderung
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Our translations:  CAT ENG FRE
Herwandernd aus den Bergen durch die Nacht
Hat mich der Weg durch fahle Wiesensäume
Und weiche Schatten unsichtbarer Bäume
Ans offene Tor der alten Stadt gebracht.

Durch eine lange Straße schritt ich sacht,
Und nirgends schien aus all den schwarzen Scheiben
Ein einzig Kerzenlicht und lud zum Bleiben,
Und alles schlief, und überall war Nacht.

Erst, da ich wieder weit im Felde ging
Und rückwärts auf die wunderlich gebaute,
Schlafwirre Flucht der dunkeln Giebel schaute,
Sah ich ein Licht, das hoch im Turme hing.

Und oben am Gesims war Einer wach;
Der trug am Strick die schaukelnde Laterne
Und bog sich vor und schaute in die Ferne
Und meinen kaum gehörten Schritten nach.

Please note: this text, provided here for educational and research use, is in the public domain in Canada, but it may still be copyright in other legal jurisdictions. The LiederNet Archive makes no guarantee that the above text is public domain in your country. Please consult your country's copyright statutes or a qualified IP attorney to verify whether a certain text is in the public domain in your country or if downloading or distributing a copy constitutes fair use. The LiederNet Archive assumes no legal responsibility or liability for the copyright compliance of third parties.

Confirmed with Hermann Hesse, Sämtliche Werke, herausgegeben von Volker Michels, Band 10 Die Gedichte, bearbeitet von Peter Huber, Frankfurt am Main: Suhrkamp Verlag, 2002, pages 128-129.


Text Authorship:

  • by Hermann Hesse (1877 - 1962), "Auf einer Nachtwanderung", written 1903 [author's text checked 2 times 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 Kurt Hessenberg (1908 - 1994), "Auf einer Nachtwanderung", op. 80 (Acht Lieder) no. 5 (<<1966) [ medium voice and piano ] [sung text checked 1 time]

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

  • CAT Catalan (Català) (Salvador Pila) , "En una caminada nocturna", copyright © 2023, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
  • ENG English (Sharon Krebs) , "Upon a nighttime ramble", copyright © 2016, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
  • FRE French (Français) (Pierre Mathé) , "Sur une randonnée nocturne", copyright © 2017, (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: 2009-05-14
Line count: 16
Word count: 113

Gentle Reminder

This website began in 1995 as a personal project by Emily Ezust, who has been working on it full-time without a salary since 2008. Our research has never had any government or institutional funding, so if you found the information here useful, please consider making a donation. Your help is greatly appreciated!
–Emily Ezust, Founder

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