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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.

To inquire about permissions and rates, contact Emily Ezust at licenses@email.lieder.example.net

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by Georg Trakl (1887 - 1914)
Translation © by Pierre Mathé

De profundis
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Our translations:  ENG FRE ITA
Es ist ein Stoppelfeld, in das ein schwarzer Regen fällt.
Es ist ein brauner Baum, der einsam dasteht.
Es ist ein Zischelwind, der leere Hütten umkreist.
Wie traurig dieser Abend.

Am Weiler vorbei
Sammelt die sanfte Waise noch spärliche Ähren ein.
Ihre Augen weiden rund und goldig in der Dämmerung
Und ihr Schoß harrt des himmlischen Bräutigams.

Bei der Heimkehr
Fanden die Hirten den süßen Leib
Verwest im Dornenbusch.

Ein Schatten bin ich ferne finsteren Dörfern.
Gottes Schweigen
Trank ich aus dem Brunnen des Hains.

Auf meine Stirne tritt kaltes Metall
Spinnen suchen mein Herz.
Es ist ein Licht, das in meinem Mund erlöscht.

Nachts fand ich mich auf einer Heide,
Starrend von Unrat und Staub der Sterne.
Im Haselgebüsch
Klangen wieder kristallne Engel.

Text Authorship:

  • by Georg Trakl (1887 - 1914), "De profundis", appears in Gedichte 1909 -1913  [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 Wolfgang Nening (b. 1966), "De profundis", 1996 [ low voice and string quartet ], from 4 Lieder nach Texten von Georg Trakl, no. 4 [sung text not yet checked]

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

  • ENG English (Bertram Kottmann) , "De profundis", copyright © 2014, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
  • FRE French (Français) (Pierre Mathé) , "De profundis", copyright © 2011, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
  • ITA Italian (Italiano) (Ferdinando Albeggiani) , "De profundis", copyright © 2012, (re)printed on this website with kind permission


Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]

This text was added to the website: 2011-09-23
Line count: 21
Word count: 124

De profundis
Language: French (Français)  after the German (Deutsch) 
C'est un champ de chaumes sur lequel tombe une pluie noire.
C'est un arbre brun qui là se dresse solitaire.
C'est un vent sifflant qui encercle les cabanes vides.
Combien triste est ce soir.

Passé le hameau,
La gentille orpheline ramasse encore de rares épis.
Ses yeux ronds et dorés savourent le crépuscule
Et son giron attend le fiancé céleste.

Sur le chemin du retour
Les bergers trouvèrent le corps  délicat
Putréfié dans un buisson d'épines.

Je suis une ombre loin des villages obscurs.
À la fontaine du bois, j'ai bu
Le silence de Dieu.

Un froid métal avance vers mon front
Des araignées cherchent mon cœur.
C'est une lumière qui s'est éteinte dans ma bouche.

À la nuit je me trouvai sur une lande,
Couvert de la saleté et de la poussière des étoiles.
Dans le noisetier
Tintaient des anges de cristal.

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 Georg Trakl (1887 - 1914), "De profundis", appears in Gedichte 1909 -1913
    • Go to the text page.

 

This text was added to the website: 2011-10-01
Line count: 21
Word count: 143

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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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