Die Nonne
German source:
Abraham Emanuel Fröhlich
Bei Rosen in der Sonne,
Die ihr ein Kränzlein flechten
Zur Linken und zur Rechten.
Herüber aus dem Saale
Erklingt vom Hochzeitsmahle
Das Tanzen und das Singen;
Die Braut möcht’ jeder schwingen.
Sie kühlet hold umfangen
Am Fenster sich die Wangen;
Die Nonne schaut herüber,
Ihr gehn die Augen über:
„Wie glüht im Rosenglanze
Sie unter’m weissen Kranze,
Und unter rother Rose
Erbleich’ ich Freudenlose.“
The Nun
English translation ©
Richard Stokes
Alongside roses in the sun,
They wind for her a little wreath
To the right and to the left.
The sounds of dancing and singing
At the wedding feast
Waft over from the hall;
Everyone wants to dance with the bride.
In a sweet embrace, she cools
Her cheeks by the window;
The nun looks over,
Her eyes fill with tears:
‘How she glows with roses
Beneath the white wreath,
And among the red roses
I turn pale, devoid of joy.’
Translations by Richard Stokes, author of The Book of Lieder (Faber, 2005)
Die Nonne
German source:
Abraham Emanuel Fröhlich
The Nun
English source:
Richard Stokes
Im Garten steht die Nonne
The nun stands in the garden
Bei Rosen in der Sonne,
Alongside roses in the sun,
Die ihr ein Kränzlein flechten
They wind for her a little wreath
Zur Linken und zur Rechten.
To the right and to the left.
Herüber aus dem Saale
The sounds of dancing and singing
Erklingt vom Hochzeitsmahle
At the wedding feast
Das Tanzen und das Singen;
Waft over from the hall;
Die Braut möcht’ jeder schwingen.
Everyone wants to dance with the bride.
Sie kühlet hold umfangen
In a sweet embrace, she cools
Am Fenster sich die Wangen;
Her cheeks by the window;
Die Nonne schaut herüber,
The nun looks over,
Ihr gehn die Augen über:
Her eyes fill with tears:
„Wie glüht im Rosenglanze
‘How she glows with roses
Sie unter’m weissen Kranze,
Beneath the white wreath,
Und unter rother Rose
And among the red roses
Erbleich’ ich Freudenlose.“
I turn pale, devoid of joy.’
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
Abraham Emanuel Fröhlich
Abraham Emanuel Fröhlich was a Swiss poet. He was born in Brugg in the canton of Aargau, where his father was a teacher. After studying theology at Zürich he became a pastor in 1817 and returned as teacher to his native town, where he lived for ten…