Translation © by Emily Ezust

Wär' ich nie aus euch gegangen
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Available translation(s): CAT DUT ENG FRE ITA
Wär' ich nie aus euch gegangen,
Wälder, hehr und wunderbar!
Hieltet liebend mich umfangen
Doch so [lange, lange]1 Jahr'.

Wo in euren Dämmerungen
[Vogelsang]2 und Silberquell,
Ist auch manches Lied entsprungen
Meinem Busen, frisch und hell.

[Euer]3 Wogen, [euer]3 [Halle]4,
Euer Säuseln nimmer müd',
Eure Melodien alle
Weckten in der Brust das Lied.

Hier in diesen weiten Triften
Ist mir alles öd' und stumm,
Und ich schau' in blauen Lüften
Mich nach Wolkenbildern um.

[In den Busen eingezwinget]5,
Regt sich selten nur das Lied;
[Wie der Vogel halb nur singet]6,
Den von Baum und [Bach]7 man schied.

About the headline (FAQ)

View original text (without footnotes)
1 Schaffgotsch: "manche, manche"
2 Schaffgotsch: "Vogel singt"
3 Schaffgotsch: "Eure"
4 Schumann: "Hallen"
5 Schumann: "Wenn ihr's in den Busen zwinget"; Birn, Schaffgotsch: "In dem Busen eingezwänget"
6 Birn: "Wie nur halb der Vogel singet"
7 Schumann: "Blatt"

Authorship:

Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):

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

  • CAT Catalan (Català) (Salvador Pila) , "Enyorança del bosc", copyright © 2014, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
  • DUT Dutch (Nederlands) [singable] (Lau Kanen) , "Heimwee naar het woudgebied", copyright © 2012, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
  • ENG English (Emily Ezust) , "Longing for the woodlands", copyright ©
  • FRE French (Français) (Guy Laffaille) , copyright © 2014, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
  • ITA Italian (Italiano) (Amelia Maria Imbarrato) , "Nostalgia di andare per i boschi", copyright © 2006, (re)printed on this website with kind permission


Researcher for this text: Sharon Krebs [Guest Editor]

This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 20
Word count: 97

Longing for the woodlands
Language: English  after the German (Deutsch) 
 Would that I had never left you,
 woodlands, lofty and wondrous!
 You held me lovingly in your embrace
 for many a long, long year.
 
 Where, in your twilit spots,
 there was birdsong and silver streams,
 there also sprang up many songs
 from my bosom, fresh and bright.
 
 Your surging, your echoes,
 your never-tiring whispering,
 your melodies all
 awoke song in my breast.
 
 Here in these wide meadows
 everything is desolate and mute to me,
 and I gaze up into the blue sky,
 looking for shapes in the clouds.
 
 While you compelled song from my breast,
 it seldom stirs now,
 just as the bird sings only a half song
 when parted from tree and leaf.

Authorship:

  • Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © by Emily Ezust

    Emily Ezust permits her translations to be reproduced without prior permission for printed (not online) programs to free-admission concerts only, provided the following credit is given:

    Translation copyright © by Emily Ezust,
    from the LiederNet Archive -- https://www.lieder.net/

    For any other purpose, please write to the e-mail address below to request permission and discuss possible fees.


Based on:

 

This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 20
Word count: 115