Der Schatzgräber
German source:
Joseph von Eichendorff
Er an zu graben hub,
Rastlos in Berges Tiefen
Nach einem Schatz er grub.
Die Engel Gottes sangen
Dieweil in stiller Nacht,
Wie rote Augen drangen
Metalle aus dem Schacht.
„Und wirst doch mein!“, und grimmer
Wühlt er und wühlt hinab!
Da stürzen Steine und Trümmer
Über den Narren herab.
Hohnlachen wild erschallte
Aus der verfall’nen Gruft,
Der Engelsang verhallte
Wehmütig in der Luft!
The Treasure-Seeker
English translation ©
Richard Stokes
He began to dig.
Ceaselessly in the mountain gorge
He dug for treasure.
God’s angels sang
The while in the silent night;
Like red eyes,
Metals emerged from the shaft.
‘You shall be mine!’ More grimly
He burrows and burrows down,
Stones and rubbles
Fall in on the fool.
Wild mocking laughter echoed
From the crumbled vault.
The song of angels died away
Sadly in the air.
Translations by Richard Stokes, author of The Book of Lieder (Faber, 2005)
Der Schatzgräber
German source:
Joseph von Eichendorff
The Treasure-Seeker
English source:
Richard Stokes
Wenn alle Wälder schliefen,
When all forests were sleeping,
Er an zu graben hub,
He began to dig.
Rastlos in Berges Tiefen
Ceaselessly in the mountain gorge
Nach einem Schatz er grub.
He dug for treasure.
Die Engel Gottes sangen
God’s angels sang
Dieweil in stiller Nacht,
The while in the silent night;
Wie rote Augen drangen
Like red eyes,
Metalle aus dem Schacht.
Metals emerged from the shaft.
„Und wirst doch mein!“, und grimmer
‘You shall be mine!’ More grimly
Wühlt er und wühlt hinab!
He burrows and burrows down,
Da stürzen Steine und Trümmer
Stones and rubbles
Über den Narren herab.
Fall in on the fool.
Hohnlachen wild erschallte
Wild mocking laughter echoed
Aus der verfall’nen Gruft,
From the crumbled vault.
Der Engelsang verhallte
The song of angels died away
Wehmütig in der Luft!
Sadly in the air.
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…