Songs

Am Bache

by Antonín Dvořák From Four Songs (Vier Lieder) (1888) Op. 82

If you would like to use our texts and translations, please click here for more information.

Text & Translation

Am Bache
German source: Otilie Malybrok-Stieler

Leise rinnt der Bach und klaget,
Weil er muß vorüber zieh'n
An den lieblich schönen Blumen,
Die am grünen Ufer blüh'n.

Sollt' ihr Bild im eig'nen Herzen
Er auch wiederstrahlen seh'n,
Muß er doch vorüber eilen,
Darf nicht kosend stille steh'n.

Bächlein! Trägst mein eig'nes Leiden;
Muß ja kalt und schweigend geh'n
Von der allerschönsten Blume
Fort auf Nimmer-Wiederseh'n!

By the brook
English translation © Richard Stokes

The brook flows softly and laments,
Because it must flow past
The beautiful flowers
That bloom along its banks.

If the brook sees you
Mirrored in its depths,
He must hasten past,
Cannot fondly linger.

Brooklet! You bear my own suffering;
Cold and silent, I must pass by
The fairest of all flowers,
Never to meet again!

Am Bache
German source: Otilie Malybrok-Stieler

By the brook
English source: Richard Stokes

Leise rinnt der Bach und klaget,
The brook flows softly and laments,
Weil er muß vorüber zieh'n
Because it must flow past
An den lieblich schönen Blumen,
The beautiful flowers
Die am grünen Ufer blüh'n.
That bloom along its banks.

Sollt' ihr Bild im eig'nen Herzen
If the brook sees you
Er auch wiederstrahlen seh'n,
Mirrored in its depths,
Muß er doch vorüber eilen,
He must hasten past,
Darf nicht kosend stille steh'n.
Cannot fondly linger.

Bächlein! Trägst mein eig'nes Leiden;
Brooklet! You bear my own suffering;
Muß ja kalt und schweigend geh'n
Cold and silent, I must pass by
Von der allerschönsten Blume
The fairest of all flowers,
Fort auf Nimmer-Wiederseh'n!
Never to meet again!

Composer

Antonín Dvořák

Antonín Leopold Dvořák (8 September 1841 – 1 May 1904) was a Czech composer, one of the first to achieve worldwide recognition. He frequently employed rhythms and other aspects of the folk music of Moravia and his native Bohemia. Read his full…

Poet

Otilie Malybrok-Stieler

Otilie Malybrok-Stieler was a German poet and translator. Her works were on occassion published under the name Ottilie Kleinschrod. She translated texts of Czech songs, poems and opera librettos into German and often expressed in her own work her…

Help us with a Donation

Enjoying our texts and translations? Help us continue to offer this service to all.

Make a Donation

Select Tickets