Der Einsiedler
German source:
Joseph von Eichendorff
Wie steigst du von den Bergen sacht,
Die Lüfte alle schlafen,
Ein Schiffer nur noch, wandermüd’,
Singt übers Meer sein Abendlied
Zu Gottes Lob im Hafen.
Die Jahre wie die Wolken gehn
Und lassen mich hier einsam stehn,
Die Welt hat mich vergessen,
Da tratst du wunderbar zu mir,
Wenn ich beim Waldesrauschen hier
Gedankenvoll gesessen.
O Trost der Welt, du stille Nacht!
Der Tag hat mich so müd gemacht,
Das weite Meer schon dunkelt,
Laß ausruhn mich von Lust und Not,
Bis daß das ew’ge Morgenrot
Den stillen Wald durchfunkelt.
The Hermit
English translation ©
Richard Stokes
How softly you climb from the hills,
The breezes are all sleeping,
One sailor still, travel-wearied,
Sings over the water his evening song
In praise of God in the harbour.
The years, like the clouds, go by
And leave me here in solitude,
Forgotten by the world,
Then wondrously you came to me,
As I sat here lost in thought
Beside the murmuring wood.
O comfort of the world, quiet night!
The day has tired me so,
The wide sea darkens now,
Let me rest from joy and pain,
Until eternal dawn
Flashes through the silent wood.
Translations by Richard Stokes, author of The Book of Lieder (Faber, 2005)
Der Einsiedler
German source:
Joseph von Eichendorff
The Hermit
English source:
Richard Stokes
Komm, Trost der Welt, du stille Nacht!
Come, comfort of the world, quiet night!
Wie steigst du von den Bergen sacht,
How softly you climb from the hills,
Die Lüfte alle schlafen,
The breezes are all sleeping,
Ein Schiffer nur noch, wandermüd’,
One sailor still, travel-wearied,
Singt übers Meer sein Abendlied
Sings over the water his evening song
Zu Gottes Lob im Hafen.
In praise of God in the harbour.
Die Jahre wie die Wolken gehn
The years, like the clouds, go by
Und lassen mich hier einsam stehn,
And leave me here in solitude,
Die Welt hat mich vergessen,
Forgotten by the world,
Da tratst du wunderbar zu mir,
Then wondrously you came to me,
Wenn ich beim Waldesrauschen hier
As I sat here lost in thought
Gedankenvoll gesessen.
Beside the murmuring wood.
O Trost der Welt, du stille Nacht!
O comfort of the world, quiet night!
Der Tag hat mich so müd gemacht,
The day has tired me so,
Das weite Meer schon dunkelt,
The wide sea darkens now,
Laß ausruhn mich von Lust und Not,
Let me rest from joy and pain,
Bis daß das ew’ge Morgenrot
Until eternal dawn
Den stillen Wald durchfunkelt.
Flashes through the silent wood.
Composer
Robert Schumann
Robert Schumann was a German composer and influential music critic. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest composers of the Romantic era. Schumann left the study of law, intending to pursue a career as a virtuoso pianist. He had been assured…
Poet
Joseph von Eichendorff
Joseph Freiherr von Eichendorff was a German poet, novelist, playwright, literary critic, translator, and anthologist. Eichendorff was one of the major writers and critics of Romanticism. Ever since their publication and up to the present day, some…