Night of stars | LiederNet

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by Julius Becker (1811 - 1859)

Translation © by Sharon Krebs

Sternen‑Nacht

Language: German (Deutsch)

Our translations: ENG

     Sternen-Nacht[,]
     Heil'ge Nacht!
In der Sterne Strahlenpracht
Noch ein guter Vater wacht.--
  Kinder schlummern sanft geborgen,
  Bis zum Morgen.
     Sternen-Nacht,
     Heil'ge Nacht! 

     Sternen-Licht,
     Heil'ges Licht
Siegend durch das Dunkel bricht.
Pilger d'rum verzage nicht!
  Ahnest du des Jenseits Klarheit,
  Und der Wahrheit
     Sternen-Licht,
     Heil'ges Licht?

     Himmels-Ruh,
     Heil'ge Ruh
Blinken mir die Sterne zu.
Müdes Herz, bald ruhst auch Du!
  Findest was Du suchst hernieden,
  Süßen Frieden,
     Himmels-Ruh,
     Heil'ge Ruh!

About the headline (FAQ)

Confirmed with Der Neuromantiker. Musikalischer Roman von Julius Becker, Zweiter Band, Leipzig: Verlag von J.J. Weber, 1840, page 89.

Text Authorship:

by Julius Becker (1811 - 1859), no title, appears in Der Neuromantiker [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 Louis [Ludwig] Spohr (1784 - 1859), "Abendlied", WoO. 104 (1841) [ voice and piano ] [sung text checked 1 time]
by (Friedrich) Oskar Wermann (1840 - 1906), "Nachtlied", op. 19 (Gesänge für Soprano, Alt, Tenor und Bass), Heft 2 no. 21, published 1878 [ satb quartet ], Dresden: Plötner & Meinhold [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: Sharon Krebs [Guest Editor] , Michael Leinert

This text was added to the website: 2009-04-17
Line count: 24
Word count: 70

Night of stars

Language: English after the German (Deutsch)

     Night of stars,
     Holy night!
In the radiant splendour of the stars
A good Father still keeps watch. --
  Children sleep, gently sheltered,
  Until morning.
     Night of stars,
     Holy night!

     Starlight,
     Holy light!
Breaks victoriously through the darkness.
Pilgrim, therefore, do not despair!
  Do you have an inkling of the clarity of the beyond,
  And of truth's
     Starlight,
     Holy light?

     Heavenly rest,
     Holy rest
[Is what] the stars twinkle at me.
Weary heart, soon you, too, shall rest!
  Shall find what you seek here below,
  Sweet peace,
     Heavenly rest,
     Holy rest!

About the headline (FAQ)

Translations of titles:
"Abendlied" = "Evening song"
"Nachtlied" = "Night song"

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 Julius Becker (1811 - 1859), no title, appears in Der Neuromantiker
- Go to the text page.

This text was added to the website: 2025-06-21
Line count: 24
Word count: 91