Um Mitternacht ging ich, nicht eben gerne,
Klein kleiner Knabe, jenen Kirchhof hin
Zu Vaters Haus, des Pfarrers; Stern an Sterne
Sie leuchteten doch alle gar zu schön;
Um Mitternacht.
Wenn ich dann ferner in des Lebens Weite
Zur Liebsten mußte, mußte, weil sie zog,
Gestirn und Nordschein über mir im Streite,
Ich gehend, kommend Seligkeiten sog;
Um Mitternacht.
Bis dann zu letzt des vollen Mondes Helle
So klar und deutlich mir ins [Finstere]1 drang,
Auch der Gedanke willig, sinnig, schnelle
Sich ums Vergangne wie ums Künftige schlang;
Um Mitternacht.
Available sung texts: (what is this?)
• F. Hiller About the headline (FAQ)
View original text (without footnotes)
1 Hiller: "Finst're"
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):
- by (Edward) Benjamin Britten (1913 - 1976), "Um Mitternacht" [sung text checked 1 time]
- by Ferdinand von Hiller (1811 - 1885), "Um Mitternacht", 1827 [ voice and piano ] [sung text checked 1 time]
- by Ernst Pepping (1901 - 1981), "Um Mitternacht", 1946, published 1949 [ voice and piano ], from Haus- und Trostbuch, no. 3 [sung text not yet checked]
- by Karl Friedrich Zelter (1758 - 1832), "Um Mitternacht", 1818 [sung text not yet checked]
- by Hermann Karl Josef Zilcher (1881 - 1948), "Um Mitternacht ging ich", op. 51 no. 8, published 1923 [ voice and piano ], from Goethe-Lieder, no. 8 [sung text not yet checked]
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- CAT Catalan (Català) (Salvador Pila) , copyright © 2024, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- CHI Chinese (中文) [singable] (Dr Huaixing Wang) , copyright © 2024, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- ENG English (Emily Ezust) , "At midnight", copyright © 2013
- FRE French (Français) (Guy Laffaille) , "À minuit", copyright © 2015, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- SPA Spanish (Español) (José Miguel Llata) , "A medianoche", copyright © 2013, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Research team for this page: Emily Ezust
[Administrator] , Johann Winkler
This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 15
Word count: 91
午夜时分我去，不快在心中，
小小男孩，穿过教堂墓地
到父的家，牧师家； 星边之星
它们每一颗闪光多亮丽;
午夜时分。
如果以后的生活道路更宽
我必须寻找思念的爱人，
星星和北极星在头顶交战，
来回走动我充满了欢欣;
午夜时分。
最后直到那时满月的光芒
清晰明确地沉入我的黑暗，
甘愿、迅捷地融入我的思想
并且与过去和未来相纠缠;
午夜时分。