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Was funkelt ihr so mild mich an? Ihr Sterne, hold und hehr! Was treibet euch auf dunkler Bahn Im Ätherblauen Meer! Wie Gottes Augen schaut ihr dort Aus Ost und West, aus Süd und Nord So freundlich auf mich her. Und überall [verfolgt]1 ihr mich Mit sanftem Dämmerlicht, Die Sonne hebt [im]2 Morgen sich, Doch ihr verlaßt mich nicht. Wenn kaum der Abend wieder graut, So blickt ihr mir so fromm und traut Schon wieder ins Gesicht. Willkommen denn - willkommen mir! Ihr Freunde still und bleich! Wie lichte Geister wandelt ihr Durch euer weites Reich; Und - Ach! vielleicht begrüßet mich Ein Edler, der zu früh [erblich]3, Ein treuer Freund aus euch! Vielleicht wird einst mein Aufenthalt [Im hellen]4 Sirius, Wenn diese kleine Wurmgestalt Die Hülle wechseln muß; Vielleicht erhebt der [Funken]5 Geist, Wenn diese schwache Form zerreißt Sich auf zum Uranus. O lächelt nur! o winket nur Mir still zu euch hinan! Mich führet Mutter Allnatur Nach ihrem großen Plan; Mich kümmert nicht der Welten Fall, Wenn ich nur dort die Lieben all Vereinet finden kann.
Confirmed with Selam. Ein Almanach für Freunde des Mannigfaltigen. Herausgegeben von I.F.Castelli. Dritter Jahrgang 1814. Wien, gedruckt und im Verlage bey Anton Strauß, pages 214-215; with Johann Georg Fellinger's poetische Schriften. Herausgegeben von Johann Gottfried Kumpf, M.D. Erster Band. Gedichte. Erster Theil. Klagenfurt, 1819. Gedruckt bey A.Gelb, mit v.Kleinmayr'schen Schriften, pages 19-20; and with Carinthia. Ein Wochenblatt zum Nutzen und Vergnügen. No. 21. Klagenfurt, [May] 1812.
1 Fellinger (Kumpf edition), and Schubert (Alte Gesamtausgabe): "umblinkt"2 Fellinger (Carinthia and Kumpf edition), and Schubert (Alte Gesamtausgabe): "in"
3 Fellinger (Kumpf edition), and Schubert (Alte Gesamtausgabe): "verblich"
4 Fellinger (Kumpf edition): "Der helle"
5 Fellinger (Kumpf edition), and Schubert (Alte Gesamtausgabe): "Funke"
Text Authorship:
- by Johann Georg Fellinger (1781 - 1816), "Die Sterne", written 1812, first published 1812 [author's text checked 1 time 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 Franz Peter Schubert (1797 - 1828), "Die Sterne", D 176 (1815), published 1872 [sung text checked 1 time]
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- CAT Catalan (Català) (Salvador Pila) , "Les estrelles", copyright © 2018, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- DUT Dutch (Nederlands) [singable] (Lau Kanen) , "De sterren", copyright © 2008, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- ENG English (Malcolm Wren) , "The stars", copyright © 2016, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- FRE French (Français) (Guy Laffaille) , "Les étoiles", copyright © 2012, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Research team for this page: Emily Ezust [Administrator] , Malcolm Wren [Guest Editor] , Peter Rastl [Guest Editor]
This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 35
Word count: 182
How gently you shine on me You stars, so fair and sublime. How you are driven on your dark course In the ether-blue sea, You are looking out like the eyes of God From east and west, from south and north Looking down onto me in such a friendly way. And you glisten around me everywhere With a gentle gloaming. The sun gets up in the morning But you never leave me. The grey light of evening barely appears And there you are looking at me so meek and cosy, Looking again into my face. Welcome then, welcome to me! You friends, quiet and pale! Like light spirits you wander Through your broad empire, And oh! perhaps there is a greeting for me, Someone noble, who passed away too soon, A true friend may be amongst you, greeting me! Perhaps there will come a time when my lodging Will be on bright Sirius, When this small worm-like form Has to change its outer coating; Perhaps the spirit of the spark will rise, After this weak form bursts, Rising up to Uranus! Oh just smile, just beckon, Calling me silently up to you. Mother pan-nature leads me According to her great plan. The fallen world does not bother me If I can only find all the loved ones there, If I can find them reunited.
Text Authorship:
- Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2016 by Malcolm Wren, (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:
- a text in German (Deutsch) by Johann Georg Fellinger (1781 - 1816), "Die Sterne", written 1812, first published 1812
This text was added to the website: 2016-09-10
Line count: 35
Word count: 224