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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.

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by Heinrich Heine (1797 - 1856)
Translation © by Pierre Mathé

«Im Anfang war die Nachtigall
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Our translations:  FRE
«Im Anfang war die Nachtigall
Und sang das Wort: Züküht! Züküht!
Und wie sie sang, sproß überall
Grüngras, Violen, Apfelblüt.

Sie biß sich in die Brust, da floß
Ihr rotes Blut, und aus dem Blut
Ein schöner Rosenbaum entsproß;
Dem singt sie ihre Liebesglut.

Uns Vögel all in diesem Wald
Versöhnt das Blut aus jener Wund;
Doch wenn das Rosenlied verhallt,
Geht auch der ganze Wald zu Grund.»

So spricht zu seinem Spätzelein
Im Eichennest der alte Spatz;
Die Spätzin piepet manchmal drein,
Sie hockt auf ihrem Ehrenplatz.

Sie ist ein häuslich gutes Weib
Und brütet brav und schmollet nicht;
Der Alte gibt zum Zeitvertreib
Den Kindern Glaubensunterricht.

About the headline (FAQ)

Text Authorship:

  • by Heinrich Heine (1797 - 1856), no title, appears in Neue Gedichte, in Neuer Frühling, no. 9 [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 Günter Bialas (1907 - 1992), "Im Anfang war die Nachtigall", published c1991 [sung text not yet checked]
  • by Mario van Overeem (1872 - 1946), "Im Anfang war die Nachtigall", from Neuer Frühling: 44 Lieder, no. 9 [sung text not yet checked]

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

  • FRE French (Français) (Pierre Mathé) , "Au début était le rossignol", copyright © 2011, (re)printed on this website with kind permission


Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]

This text was added to the website: 2008-04-11
Line count: 20
Word count: 108

Au début était le rossignol
Language: French (Français)  after the German (Deutsch) 
« Au début était le rossignol
Et il chanta ces paroles : Züküht! Züküht!
Et dès qu'il eut chanté, tout jaillit
Herbe verte, violette, fleur de pommier.

Il se piqua la poitrine d'où coula
Son sang vermeil, et de ce sang
Jaillit une jolie rose
À laquelle il chanta sa flamme.

Le sang de cette blessure nous a réconciliés,
Nous, tous les oiseaux de la forêt ;
Mais si la chanson à la rose passait,
Ce serait aussi la mort de la forêt. »

C'est ainsi que parle à son enfant moineau
Le vieux moineau dans le nid du chêne ;
Parfois la moinelle y pépie,
Accroupie à la place d'honneur.

C'est une bonne femme d'intérieur
Qui couve gentiment et ne boude pas ;
Pour passer le temps, le vieux donne
À ses enfants une leçon de catéchisme.

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from German (Deutsch) to French (Français) copyright © 2011 by Pierre Mathé, (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 Heinrich Heine (1797 - 1856), no title, appears in Neue Gedichte, in Neuer Frühling, no. 9
    • Go to the text page.

 

This text was added to the website: 2011-02-13
Line count: 20
Word count: 134

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This website began in 1995 as a personal project by Emily Ezust, who has been working on it full-time without a salary since 2008. Our research has never had any government or institutional funding, so if you found the information here useful, please consider making a donation. Your help is greatly appreciated!
–Emily Ezust, Founder

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