Text & Translation
Die Nebensonnen
German source:
Wilhelm Müller
Hab’ lang’ und fest sie angeseh'n;
Und sie auch standen da so stier,
Als wollten sie nicht weg von mir.
Ach, meine Sonnen seid ihr nicht!
Schaut Andern doch in’s Angesicht!
Ja, neulich hatt’ ich auch wohl drei:
Nun sind hinab die besten zwei.
Ging’ nur die dritt’ erst hinterdrein!
Im Dunkeln wird mir wohler sein.
The Mock Suns
English translation ©
Richard Wigmore
I gazed at them long and intently.
And they, too, stood there so fixedly,
as if unwilling to leave me.
Alas, you are not my suns!
Gaze into other people’s faces!
Yes, not long ago I, too, had three suns;
now the two best have set.
If only the third would follow,
I should feel happier in the dark.
Die Nebensonnen
German source:
Wilhelm Müller
The Mock Suns
English source:
Richard Wigmore
Drei Sonnen sah ich am Himmel steh'n,
I saw three suns in the sky;
Hab’ lang’ und fest sie angeseh'n;
I gazed at them long and intently.
Und sie auch standen da so stier,
And they, too, stood there so fixedly,
Als wollten sie nicht weg von mir.
as if unwilling to leave me.
Ach, meine Sonnen seid ihr nicht!
Alas, you are not my suns!
Schaut Andern doch in’s Angesicht!
Gaze into other people’s faces!
Ja, neulich hatt’ ich auch wohl drei:
Yes, not long ago I, too, had three suns;
Nun sind hinab die besten zwei.
now the two best have set.
Ging’ nur die dritt’ erst hinterdrein!
If only the third would follow,
Im Dunkeln wird mir wohler sein.
I should feel happier in the dark.
Composer
Franz Schubert
Franz Peter Schubert was an late Classical and early Romantic composer. He produced a vast oeuvre during his short life, composing more the 600 vocal works (largely Lieder), and well as several symphonies, operas, and a large body of piano music. He…
Poet
Wilhelm Müller
Johann Ludwig Wilhelm Müller was a German lyric poet. Wilhelm Müller was born on October 7, 1794 at Dessau, the son of a tailor. He was educated at the gymnasium of his native town and at the University of Berlin, where he devoted himself to…