by Ernst Koch (1808 - 1858)
Translation © by Allen Shearer

Das heimliche Lied
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Our translations:  CAT DUT ENG FRE ITA POR
Es gibt geheime Schmerzen, 
Sie klaget nie der Mund,
Getragen tief im Herzen
Sind sie der Welt nicht kund.
Es gibt ein heimlich Sehnen,
Das scheuet stets das Licht,
Es gibt verborgne Tränen,
Der Fremde sieht sie nicht.

Es gibt ein still Versinken
In eine innre Welt,
Wo Friedensauen winken,
Von Sternenglanz erhellt,
Wo auf gefallnen Schranken
Die Seele Himmel baut,
Und jubelnd den Gedanken
Den Lippen anvertraut.

Es gibt ein still Vergehen
In stummen, öden Schmerz,
Und Niemand darf es sehen,
Das schwergepreßte Herz.
Es sagt nicht was ihm fehlet,
Und wenn's im Grame bricht,
Verblutend und zerquälet,
Der Fremde sieht sie nicht.

Es gibt einen sanften Schlummer,
Wo süßer Frieden weilt,
Wo stille Ruh' den Kummer
Der müden Seele heilt.
Doch gibt's ein schöner Hoffen,
Das Welten überfliegt,
Da wo am Herzen offen
Das Herz voll Liebe liegt.

Text 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) , "La cançó secreta", copyright © 2013, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
  • DUT Dutch (Nederlands) [singable] (Lau Kanen) , "Het geheime lied", copyright © 2017, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
  • ENG English (Allen Shearer) , "The secret song", copyright © 2002, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
  • FRE French (Français) (Guy Laffaille) , "Le chant secret", copyright © 2014, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
  • ITA Italian (Italiano) (Amelia Maria Imbarrato) , "Il canto segreto", copyright © 2005, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
  • POR Portuguese (Português) (Elke Beatriz Riedel) , "A canção secreta", copyright © 2011, (re)printed on this website with kind permission


Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]

This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 32
Word count: 140

The secret song
Language: English  after the German (Deutsch) 
There are secret pains
Whose lament is never tongued;
Borne deep in the heart
They are unknown to the world.
There is a secret longing
That always shies from the light;
There are hidden tears
A stranger does not see.
 
There is a quiet sinking
Into an inner world
Where peaceful meadows beckon,
Lit by the gleam of stars,
Where, all boundaries fallen,
The soul raises Heaven
And with jubilation
Confides its thoughts to the lips.
 
There is a quiet passing
Into silent, desolate pain,
And no one is allowed to see
That heavy-pressed heart.
It does not say what it needs,
And though it breaks with grief,
Tortured to death and bleeding,
The stranger does not see it.
 
There is a gentle slumber
Where sweet peace abides,
Where quiet rest heals the cares
Of the weary soul.
There is yet a lovely hoping
That soars above all worlds,
Where, open to another heart,
The heart lies filled with love.

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2002 by Allen Shearer, (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.
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Based on:

 

This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 32
Word count: 160