Before my window appears

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by Franz Theodor Kugler (1808 - 1858)

Translation © by Sharon Krebs

Nachtgruss

Language: German (Deutsch)

Our translations: ENG

Vor meinem Fenster dämmert
Das trübe Mondenlicht;
Auf meinem Tischlein hämmert
Die Uhr und rastet nicht.

Die stille Nacht durchschallet
Ein einsam hast'ger Gang,
Der wiederum verhallet
Die leere Straß' entlang.

Auf Traumesschwingen heben
Sich die Gedanken mir,
Und heimlich, o mein Leben,
Träum' ich mich hin zu dir.

Confirmed with Album deutscher Dichter, Herausgegeben von H. Kletke, Sechste Auflage, Berlin: Verlag von E.H. Schroeder, 1853, page 97.

Text Authorship:

by Franz Theodor Kugler (1808 - 1858), "Nachtgruß" [author's text checked 2 times 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 Adolf Jensen (1837 - 1879), "Nachtgruss", published 1882 [ voice and piano ], from Sechs Lieder für 1 Singstimme und Pianoforte, no. 4, Berlin, Ries & Erler [sung text not yet checked]
by Erik Meyer-Helmund (1861 - 1932), "Nachtgruss", published 1896 [ voice and piano ], Leipzig, Schuberth jun. [sung text not yet checked]
by Frédéric Louis Ritter (1826 - 1891), "Nachtgruss", op. 24 no. 2 [sung text not yet checked]

Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):

ENG English (Sharon Krebs) , copyright © 2025, (re)printed on this website with kind permission

Research team for this page: Emily Ezust [Administrator] , Sharon Krebs [Senior Associate Editor]

This text was added to the website: 2011-07-18
Line count: 12
Word count: 49

Before my window appears

Language: English after the German (Deutsch)

Before my window appears
The dreary twilight of the rising moon;
Upon my little table the clock
Hammers and does not rest.

A solitary, hasty step
Resounds through the quiet night,
[A step] that once more dies away
Along the empty street.

Upon the pinions of dreams,
My thoughts rise,
And secretly, oh my life,
I dream myself over to you.

About the headline (FAQ)

Translations of titles:
"Nachtgruß" = "Nighttime greeting"
"Nachtgruss" = "Nighttime greeting"

Text Authorship:

Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2025 by Sharon Krebs, (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: licenses@email.lieder.example.net

Based on:

a text in German (Deutsch) by Franz Theodor Kugler (1808 - 1858), "Nachtgruß"
- Go to the text page.

This text was added to the website: 2025-11-29
Line count: 12
Word count: 61