Text & Translation
Es liebt sich so lieblich im Lenze!
German source:
Heinrich Heine
Es liebt sich so lieblich im Lenze!
Am Flusse sitzet die Schäferin
Und windet die zärtlichsten Kränze.
Das knospet und quillt und duftet und blüht—
Es liebt sich so lieblich im Lenze!
Die Schäferin seufzt aus tiefer Brust:
„Wem geb ich meine Kränze?“
Ein Reiter reitet den Fluß entlang;
Er grüßet so blühenden Mutes!
Die Schäferin schaut ihm nach so bang,
Fern flattert die Feder des Hutes.
Sie weint und wirft in den gleitenden Fluß
Die schönen Blumenkränze.
Die Nachtigall singt von Lieb und Kuß—
Es liebt sich so lieblich im Lenze!
How lovely to live in spring!
English translation ©
Richard Stokes
How lovely to live in spring!
The shepherdess sits by the river
Weaving most delicate garlands.
There budding and swelling and fragrance and blossom—
How lovely to live in spring!
The shepherdess sighs from the depths of her heart:
‘To whom shall I give my garlands?’
Along the river a horseman rides;
He greets her in youthful high spirits!
She anxiously watches him go on his way,
The plume in his hat flutters afar.
She weeps, and into the waves she flings
Her beautiful garlands of flowers.
The nightingale sings of loving and kissing—
How lovely to love in spring!
Translations by Richard Stokes, author of The Book of Lieder (Faber, 2005)
Es liebt sich so lieblich im Lenze!
German source:
Heinrich Heine
How lovely to live in spring!
English source:
Richard Stokes
Die Wellen blinken und fließen dahin—
The waves glisten and flow away—
Es liebt sich so lieblich im Lenze!
How lovely to live in spring!
Am Flusse sitzet die Schäferin
The shepherdess sits by the river
Und windet die zärtlichsten Kränze.
Weaving most delicate garlands.
Das knospet und quillt und duftet und blüht—
There budding and swelling and fragrance and blossom—
Es liebt sich so lieblich im Lenze!
How lovely to live in spring!
Die Schäferin seufzt aus tiefer Brust:
The shepherdess sighs from the depths of her heart:
„Wem geb ich meine Kränze?“
‘To whom shall I give my garlands?’
Ein Reiter reitet den Fluß entlang;
Along the river a horseman rides;
Er grüßet so blühenden Mutes!
He greets her in youthful high spirits!
Die Schäferin schaut ihm nach so bang,
She anxiously watches him go on his way,
Fern flattert die Feder des Hutes.
The plume in his hat flutters afar.
Sie weint und wirft in den gleitenden Fluß
She weeps, and into the waves she flings
Die schönen Blumenkränze.
Her beautiful garlands of flowers.
Die Nachtigall singt von Lieb und Kuß—
The nightingale sings of loving and kissing—
Es liebt sich so lieblich im Lenze!
How lovely to love in spring!
Composer
Johannes Brahms
Johannes Brahms (7 May 1833 – 3 April 1897) was a German composer, pianist, and conductor of the Romantic period. Born in Hamburg into a Lutheran family, Brahms spent much of his professional life in Vienna. Brahms has been considered, by his…
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…