Songs

Bist du

by Franz Liszt

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Text & Translation

Bist du
German source: Elim Meshchersky

Mild wie ein Lufthauch, ein Lufthauch im Mai,
Rein wie die Perle, die Perle im Meer,
Klar wie der Himmel, der Himmel in Rom,
So still wie die Mondnacht bist du!
Kalt wie der Gletscher, der Gletscher der Alp,
Fest wie der Felsen, der Fels von Granit,
Ruhig wie’s Wasser, das Wasser im See,
Wie Gott unergründlich bist du!

Denn aus den Sphären, den Sphären des Lichts,
Denn aus den Welten der Schönheit und Liebe,
Denn aus den Höhen, den Höhen des Alls,
Denn aus den Tiefen, den Tiefen des Seins
Kommst du!

You are (2010)
English translation © Richard Stokes

Soft as a breeze, a breeze in May,
Pure as the pearl, the pearl in the sea,
Clear as the sky, the Roman sky,
As still as the moonlit night art thou!
Cold as the glacier of the alpine pastures,
Firm as the rock, the rock of granite,
Calm as the waters, the waters of the lake,
As unfathomable as God art thou!

For from the spheres, the spheres of light,
For from the worlds of beauty and love,
For from the heights, the heights of space,
For from the depths, the depths of being
Art thou!

Translations by Richard Stokes, author of The Book of Lieder (Faber, 2005)

Bist du
German source: Elim Meshchersky

You are (2010)
English source: Richard Stokes

Mild wie ein Lufthauch, ein Lufthauch im Mai,
Soft as a breeze, a breeze in May,
Rein wie die Perle, die Perle im Meer,
Pure as the pearl, the pearl in the sea,
Klar wie der Himmel, der Himmel in Rom,
Clear as the sky, the Roman sky,
So still wie die Mondnacht bist du!
As still as the moonlit night art thou!
Kalt wie der Gletscher, der Gletscher der Alp,
Cold as the glacier of the alpine pastures,
Fest wie der Felsen, der Fels von Granit,
Firm as the rock, the rock of granite,
Ruhig wie’s Wasser, das Wasser im See,
Calm as the waters, the waters of the lake,
Wie Gott unergründlich bist du!
As unfathomable as God art thou!

Denn aus den Sphären, den Sphären des Lichts,
For from the spheres, the spheres of light,
Denn aus den Welten der Schönheit und Liebe,
For from the worlds of beauty and love,
Denn aus den Höhen, den Höhen des Alls,
For from the heights, the heights of space,
Denn aus den Tiefen, den Tiefen des Seins
For from the depths, the depths of being
Kommst du!
Art thou!

Composer

Franz Liszt

Franz Liszt (22 October 1811 – 31 July 1886) was a Hungarian composer, virtuoso pianist, conductor, music teacher, arranger and organist of the Romantic era. He was also a writer, a philanthropist, a Hungarian nationalist and a Franciscan…

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