Die heil'gen drei Könige
German source:
Heinrich Heine
Sie frugen in jedem Städtchen:
„Wo geht der Weg nach Bethlehem,
ihr lieben Buben und Mädchen?“
Die Jungen und Alten, sie wußten’s nicht,
Die Könige zogen weiter;
Sie folgten einem goldenen Stern,
Der leuchtete lieblich und heiter.
Der Stern blieb stehn über Josephs Haus,
Da sind sie hineingegangen;
Das Öchslein brüllte, das Kindlein schrie,
Die heil’gen drei Könige sangen.
The three holy kings
English translation ©
Richard Stokes
They asked in every town:
‘Where is the way to Bethlehem,
Dear little boys and girls?’
Young and old, they did not know,
The three kings journeyed on;
They followed a star of golden light
That shone down bright and cheerily.
The star stood still over Joseph’s house,
And there they went inside;
The little ox bellowed, the baby cried,
The three holy kings, they sang.
Translations by Richard Stokes, author of The Book of Lieder (Faber, 2005)
Die heil'gen drei Könige
German source:
Heinrich Heine
The three holy kings
English source:
Richard Stokes
Die heil’gen drei Kön’ge aus Morgenland,
The three holy kings from Eastern lands,
Sie frugen in jedem Städtchen:
They asked in every town:
„Wo geht der Weg nach Bethlehem,
‘Where is the way to Bethlehem,
ihr lieben Buben und Mädchen?“
Dear little boys and girls?’
Die Jungen und Alten, sie wußten’s nicht,
Young and old, they did not know,
Die Könige zogen weiter;
The three kings journeyed on;
Sie folgten einem goldenen Stern,
They followed a star of golden light
Der leuchtete lieblich und heiter.
That shone down bright and cheerily.
Der Stern blieb stehn über Josephs Haus,
The star stood still over Joseph’s house,
Da sind sie hineingegangen;
And there they went inside;
Das Öchslein brüllte, das Kindlein schrie,
The little ox bellowed, the baby cried,
Die heil’gen drei Könige sangen.
The three holy kings, they sang.
Composer
Peter Erasmus Lange-Müller
Peter Erasmus Lange-Müller (1 December 1850 – 26 February 1926) was a Danish composer and pianist. He was influenced by Danish folk music. Read more here.
Poet
Heinrich Heine
Heine was born of Jewish parents. Much of his early life was influenced by the financial power of his uncle Salomon Heine, a millionaire Hamburg banker, with whom he remained on an awkward footing for many years. After he had been educated in the…