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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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from Volkslieder (Folksongs)
Translation © by Pierre Mathé

Nachtigall, sag, was für Grüß'
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Our translations:  CAT DUT ENG FRE
Nachtigall, sag, was für Grüß',
Was ist dein Gesang so süß?
So schaurig, so schaurig!
Bald thut wohl mir dein Gesang,
Und wird's mir im Herzen bang!
So schaurig, so schaurig!

Wie es tönet durch den Wald,
Fließt die Thräne von der Wang'.
So schaurig, so schaurig!
In dem Herzen ringt die Noth
So als wär' es gar der Tod!
So schaurig, so schaurig!

Nachtigall, so wundersam,
Sprich in Jesu Christi Nam':
So schaurig, so schaurig!
Wie solch Singen möglich ist?
Und verkünde, wer du bist!
So schaurig, so schaurig!

Der du bist, das war ich einst,
Meine Sünd' ist nicht die kleinst',
So schaurig, so schaurig!
Wart bis auf den jüngsten Tag
Auf mein Urtheil mit der Klag'.
So schaurig, so schaurig!

Rauschend fliegt der Vogel fort,
Warnt bald hier und warnt bald dort;
So schaurig, so schaurig!
Wer vernommen den Gesang,
Der wird nicht mehr leben lang'.
So schaurig, so schaurig!

About the headline (FAQ)

Confirmed with Deutsche Volkslieder mit ihren Original-Weisen, ed. A. Wilh. v. Zuccalmaglio, Zweiter Theil, Berlin: Vereins-Buchhandlung, 1840, pages 140-141.


Text Authorship:

  • from Volkslieder (Folksongs) , "Die verzauberte Nachtigall" [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 Johannes Brahms (1833 - 1897), "Nachtigall, sag", WoO. 33 no. 48, published [1894] [ voice, chorus (Vorsängener Chor), and piano ], from Deutsche Volkslieder, no. 48, Berlin, N. Simrock [sung text checked 1 time]

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

  • CAT Catalan (Català) (Salvador Pila) , copyright © 2022, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
  • DUT Dutch (Nederlands) [singable] (Lau Kanen) , "Nachtegaal, wat 's dat voor groet?", copyright © 2015, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
  • ENG English (Sharon Krebs) , "Nightingale, tell", copyright © 2014, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
  • FRE French (Français) (Pierre Mathé) , "Dis, rossignol pourquoi pour un salut", copyright © 2013, (re)printed on this website with kind permission


Researcher for this page: Sharon Krebs [Guest Editor]

This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 30
Word count: 153

Dis, rossignol pourquoi pour un salut
Language: French (Français)  after the German (Deutsch) 
Dis, rossignol pourquoi pour un salut,
Pourquoi ton chant est-il si doux ?
Bientôt ton chant me rendra bien
Si triste, si triste !
Me mettra l'angoisse au cœur !
Si triste, si triste !

Tandis qu'il retentit dans le bois
De mes joues coulent des larmes.
Si tristes, si tristes !
Dans mon cœur bat la détresse
Comme si c'était la mort elle-même!
Si triste, si triste !

Rossignol, si merveilleux,
Au nom de Jésus Christ, dis-moi :
Si triste, si triste !
Comment une telle chose peut-elle être ?
Et dis-moi qui tu es !
Si triste, si triste !

J'étais autrefois celui que tu es,
Mon péché n'est pas le moindre,
Si triste, si triste !
Attends jusqu'au Jugement Dernier
Le jour de mon procès, avec lamentations !
Si triste, si triste !

Dans un bruissement l'oiseau s'envole,
Prévient ici, prévient là
Si triste, si triste !
Celui qui comprend son chant,
Il ne lui reste plus longtemps à vivre.
Si triste, si triste !

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from German (Deutsch) to French (Français) copyright © 2013 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) from Volkslieder (Folksongs) , "Die verzauberte Nachtigall"
    • Go to the text page.

 

This text was added to the website: 2013-06-26
Line count: 30
Word count: 152

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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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