Einsame Nixe
Language: German (Deutsch)
Available translation(s): ENG FRE
Oft, wenn es dunkelte, hob aus dem Teich sich die reizende Nixe
Halben Leibs; es rieselte sacht von den schilfigen Haaren.
Mondengleich beschien ihre weiße Brust die Gebüsche,
Erlen und Weiden umher, sie leuchteten hell vor den andern,
Und es schimmerten feucht ihre Augen wie Perlen des Meeres.
Nichts bekümmerte sie, die alles von Anfang gesehen.
Wundersam nun erscholl ihre süße, kristallene Stimme
Leicht wie Luft. Und sie sang von den herrlichen Wundern der Schöpfung,
Sang von des Schicksals Gewalt und dem dunklen Geheimnis des Todes.
Bald wie Akkorde der Harfe ertönten die Zaubergesänge,
Bald, wie ihr zärtliches Lied die klagende Nachtigall flötet.
Aber niemand hörte die Einsame, träumerisch lauschte
Nur die heilige Nacht, es lauschten die ewigen Sterne.
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, and transliterations (if applicable):
- ENG English (John Glenn Paton) , title 1: "Solitary water-nymph", copyright © 2009, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- FRE French (Français) (Pierre Mathé) , title 1: "Ondine solitaire", copyright © 2011, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Researcher for this page: John Glenn Paton
[Guest Editor] This text was added to the website: 2009-07-20
Line count: 13
Word count: 119
Solitary water‑nymph
Language: English  after the German (Deutsch)
Often, when it got dark, from the pond the charming water-nymph lifted
her upper body; water rippled quietly from her reedy hair.
Moon-like, her white breast illuminated the thicket
of alders and willows all around, shining brighter than the moon,
and there glimmered damp her eyes like pearls from the sea.
Nothing troubled her, who has seen everything from the beginning.
Marvelously then rang her sweet, crystal voice,
light as air. And she sang of the magnificent wonders of the creation,
sang of fate's power and the dark mystery of death.
Sometimes her magic songs rang like tones of the harp,
sometimes like the tender song of the complaining nightingale.
But nobody heard the solitary one; dreamily listened
only the holy Night, and the eternal stars listened.
Authorship:
- Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2009 by John Glenn Paton, (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: 2009-07-20
Line count: 13
Word count: 127