Geistliches Wiegenlied
German source:
Emanuel Geibel
Um diese Palmen
In Nacht und Wind,
Ihr heil’gen Engel,
Stillet die Wipfel!
Es schlummert mein Kind.
Ihr Palmen von Bethlehem
Im Windesbrausen,
Wie mögt ihr heute
So zornig sausen!
O rauscht nicht also!
Schweiget, neiget
Euch leis’ und lind;
Stillet die Wipfel!
Es schlummert mein Kind.
Der Himmelsknabe
Duldet Beschwerde,
Ach, wie so müd’ er ward
Vom Leid der Erde.
Ach nun im Schlaf ihm
Leise gesänftigt
Die Qual zerrinnt,
Stillet die Wipfel!
Es schlummert mein Kind.
Grimmige Kälte
Sauset hernieder,
Womit nur deck’ ich
Des Kindleins Glieder!
O all ihr Engel,
Die ihr geflügelt
Wandelt im Wind,
Stillet die Wipfel!
Es schlummert mein kind.
A sacred cradle-song
English translation ©
Richard Stokes
Around these palms
In night and wind,
You holy angels,
Silence the tree-tops!
My child is sleeping.
You palms of Bethlehem
In the raging wind,
Why do you bluster
So angrily today!
O roar not so!
Be still, lean
Calmly and gently over us;
Silence the tree-tops!
My child is sleeping.
The heavenly babe
Suffers distress,
Oh, how weary He has grown
With the sorrows of this world.
Ah, now that in sleep
His pains
Are gently eased,
Silence the treetops!
My child is sleeping.
Fierce cold
Blows down on us,
With what shall I cover
My little child’s limbs?
O all you angels,
Who wing your way
On the winds,
Silence the tree-tops!
My child is sleeping.
Translations by Richard Stokes, author of The Book of Lieder (Faber, 2005)
Geistliches Wiegenlied
German source:
Emanuel Geibel
A sacred cradle-song
English source:
Richard Stokes
Die ihr schwebet
You who hover
Um diese Palmen
Around these palms
In Nacht und Wind,
In night and wind,
Ihr heil’gen Engel,
You holy angels,
Stillet die Wipfel!
Silence the tree-tops!
Es schlummert mein Kind.
My child is sleeping.
Ihr Palmen von Bethlehem
You palms of Bethlehem
Im Windesbrausen,
In the raging wind,
Wie mögt ihr heute
Why do you bluster
So zornig sausen!
So angrily today!
O rauscht nicht also!
O roar not so!
Schweiget, neiget
Be still, lean
Euch leis’ und lind;
Calmly and gently over us;
Stillet die Wipfel!
Silence the tree-tops!
Es schlummert mein Kind.
My child is sleeping.
Der Himmelsknabe
The heavenly babe
Duldet Beschwerde,
Suffers distress,
Ach, wie so müd’ er ward
Oh, how weary He has grown
Vom Leid der Erde.
With the sorrows of this world.
Ach nun im Schlaf ihm
Ah, now that in sleep
Leise gesänftigt
His pains
Die Qual zerrinnt,
Are gently eased,
Stillet die Wipfel!
Silence the treetops!
Es schlummert mein Kind.
My child is sleeping.
Grimmige Kälte
Fierce cold
Sauset hernieder,
Blows down on us,
Womit nur deck’ ich
With what shall I cover
Des Kindleins Glieder!
My little child’s limbs?
O all ihr Engel,
O all you angels,
Die ihr geflügelt
Who wing your way
Wandelt im Wind,
On the winds,
Stillet die Wipfel!
Silence the tree-tops!
Es schlummert mein kind.
My child is sleeping.
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
Emanuel Geibel
Emanuel von Geibel , German poet and playwright. He was born at Lübeck, the son of a pastor. He was originally intended for his father's profession and studied at Bonn and Berlin, but his real interests lay not in theology but in classical and…