Attention! Some of this material is not in the public domain.
It is illegal to copy and distribute our copyright-protected material without permission. It is also illegal to reprint copyright texts or translations without the name of the author or translator.
To inquire about permissions and rates, contact Emily Ezust at
If you wish to reprint translations, please make sure you include the names of the translators in your email. They are below each translation.
Note: You must use the copyright symbol © when you reprint copyright-protected material.
Im Winde, im Sturme befahr' ich den Fluß, Die Kleider durchweichet der Regen im Guß; Ich [lenke - ich peitsche]1 mit mächtigem Schlag [Die Wellen]2, erhoffend mir heiteren Tag. Die [Fluthen]3, sie jagen das [schwankende]4 Schiff, Es drohet der Strudel, es drohet der Riff, Gesteine entkollern den felsigen Höh'n, Und [Fichten, sie sausen]5 wie Geistergestöh'n. So mußte es kommen - ich hab es gewollt, Ich hasse ein Leben behaglich entrollt; Und schlängen die [Fluthen]3 den [dröhnenden]6 Kahn, Ich priese doch immer die eigene Bahn. [Es]7 tose des Wassers ohnmächtiger Zorn, Dem Herzen entquillet ein seliger Born, Die Nerven erfrischend - o himmliche Lust! Dem Sturme [gebiethen]8 mit männlicher Brust.
About the headline (FAQ)
View original text (without footnotes)Confirmed with Gedichte von Johann Mayrhofer. Wien. Bey Friedrich Volke. 1824, page 106; and with Beyträge zur Bildung für Jünglinge. Zweites Bändchen. Wien, 1818. In der Franz Härter'schen Buchhandlung, page 325 (here with the title Der Schiffer).
Note: Schubert received Mayrhofer's texts generally in handwriting; the printed edition of Mayrhofer's poems appeared much later and presents the texts usually in a revised version.
1 Schubert: "Ich peitsche die Wellen"2 Schubert: "Erhoffend"
3 Schubert: "Wellen"
4 Schubert: "ächzende"
5 Schubert: "Tannen erseufzen"
6 Schubert: "ächzenden"
7 Schubert: "Drum"
8 Schubert: "zu trotzen"
Authorship:
- by Johann Baptist Mayrhofer (1787 - 1836), "Schiffer", first published 1818 [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), "Der Schiffer", op. 21 (Drei Lieder) no. 2, D 536 (1817?), published 1823 [ voice and piano ], Sauer und Leidesdorf, VN 276, Wien [sung text checked 1 time]
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- CAT Catalan (Català) (Salvador Pila) , "El barquer", copyright © 2017, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- DUT Dutch (Nederlands) [singable] (Lau Kanen) , "De schipper", copyright © 2008, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- ENG English (Emily Ezust) , "The boatman", copyright ©
- FRE French (Français) (Guy Laffaille) , "Le marin", copyright © 2010, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- ITA Italian (Italiano) (Ferdinando Albeggiani) , "Il barcaiolo", copyright © 2009, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Research team for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator] , Peter Rastl [Guest Editor]
This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 16
Word count: 109
Dans le vent, dans la tempête je traverse la rivière, La pluie en douche trempe les habits ; Je fouette les vagues avec des coups puissants, Espérant, espérant pour moi une belle journée. Les vagues, elles poursuivent le bateau qui gémit, Le tourbillon le menace, le récif le menace. Des pierres roulent des hauteurs rocheuses, Et les sapins soupirent comme des fantômes gémissant. Cela devait être ainsi, je l'ai voulu, Je hais une vie qui se déroule agréablement ; Et même si les vagues la barque gémissante, Je voudrais louer encore mon chemin à moi. Aussi que gronde la colère impuissante de l'eau, De mon cœur jaillit une source bénie, Rafraîchit les nerfs -- ô plaisir céleste, Braver la tempête avec un cœur humain.
Authorship:
- Translation from German (Deutsch) to French (Français) copyright © 2010 by Guy Laffaille, (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.
Contact:
Based on:
- a text in German (Deutsch) by Johann Baptist Mayrhofer (1787 - 1836), "Schiffer", first published 1818
This text was added to the website: 2010-01-20
Line count: 16
Word count: 123