by Robert Frost (1874 - 1963)
Translation © by Walter A. Aue

Acquainted with the night
Language: English 
Our translations:  GER ITA
I have been one acquainted with the night.
I have walked out in rain -- and back in rain.
I have outwalked the furthest city light.

I have looked down the saddest city lane.
I have passed by the watchman on his beat
And dropped my eyes, unwilling to explain.

I have stood still and stopped the sound of feet
When far away an interrupted cry
Came over houses from another street,

But not to call me back or say good-bye;
And further still at an unearthly height,
One luminary clock against the sky

Proclaimed the time was neither wrong nor right.
I have been one acquainted with the night.

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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):

  • GER German (Deutsch) (Walter A. Aue) , "Mit der Nacht vertraut", copyright © 2010, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
  • ITA Italian (Italiano) (Ferdinando Albeggiani) , "Ho preso confidenza con la notte", copyright © 2025, (re)printed on this website with kind permission


Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]

This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 14
Word count: 109

Mit der Nacht vertraut
Language: German (Deutsch)  after the English 
Bin einer, der vertraut ist mit der Nacht.
Ich ging im Regen aus - im Regen heim.
Ging weiter als die Stadt das Licht gebracht.

Ich sah der Straßen längstes Traurigsein.
Ich ging an des Gesetzes Aug' vorbei
Und senkt' den Blick - da ließ es mich allein.

Bin still gestanden, daß es stille sei
Wenn über Straßen, über Häuser weh
Im Winde flog ein abgeriss'ner Schrei:

Kein 'Komm zurück!' für mich und kein 'Ade!';
Und, weiter noch, wie erdenfern erdacht
Am Himmel ich das Licht der Turmuhr seh':

Drauf Zeit, die richtig nicht, nicht falsch gemacht.
Bin einer, der vertraut ist mit der Nacht.

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from English to German (Deutsch) copyright © 2010 by Walter A. Aue, (re)printed on this website with kind permission. To reprint and distribute this author's work for concert programs, CD booklets, etc., you must ask the copyright-holder(s) directly for permission. If you receive no response, you must consider it a refusal.

    Walter A. Aue.  Contact: waue (AT) dal (DOT) ca

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Based on:

 

This text was added to the website: 2010-01-12
Line count: 14
Word count: 103