Gesanges Erwachen
German source:
Justinus Kerner
Wär ich wiederum gesund,
Aber noch will’s Herz zerspringen
Und in Trauern schweigt der Mund.
Kaum, dass diese leise Klage
Aus dem vollen Busen drang,
Wie an einem Wintertage
Oft schon halb ein Vogel sang.
Wie aus Wolken eng verschlossen
Halb oft dringt ein Sonnenblick,
Bald von Regen übergossen,
Wiederkehrt in sich zurück.
Also hellte mein Gemüthe
Ach nur kurz ein lichter Traum,
Und vom aufgeweckten Liede
Hallten diese Töne kaum.
Song's Awakening
English translation ©
Richard Stokes
I would get well again,
But my heart is still breaking,
And my lips are mute with grieving.
The soft lament no more than whimpered
From my full heart,
Like a bird has often sung
On a winter’s day.
Just as tightly gathered clouds
Are often pierced by a ray of sun,
Which, when doused with rain,
Soon withdraws into itself again.
Thus did a bright dream,
Ah so briefly lighten my spirits,
And the sounds of the ensuing song
Could scarcely make themselves heard.
Translations by Richard Stokes, author of The Book of Lieder (Faber, 2005)
Gesanges Erwachen
German source:
Justinus Kerner
Song's Awakening
English source:
Richard Stokes
Könnt’ ich einmal wieder singen,
If I could sing once more,
Wär ich wiederum gesund,
I would get well again,
Aber noch will’s Herz zerspringen
But my heart is still breaking,
Und in Trauern schweigt der Mund.
And my lips are mute with grieving.
Kaum, dass diese leise Klage
The soft lament no more than whimpered
Aus dem vollen Busen drang,
From my full heart,
Wie an einem Wintertage
Like a bird has often sung
Oft schon halb ein Vogel sang.
On a winter’s day.
Wie aus Wolken eng verschlossen
Just as tightly gathered clouds
Halb oft dringt ein Sonnenblick,
Are often pierced by a ray of sun,
Bald von Regen übergossen,
Which, when doused with rain,
Wiederkehrt in sich zurück.
Soon withdraws into itself again.
Also hellte mein Gemüthe
Thus did a bright dream,
Ach nur kurz ein lichter Traum,
Ah so briefly lighten my spirits,
Und vom aufgeweckten Liede
And the sounds of the ensuing song
Hallten diese Töne kaum.
Could scarcely make themselves heard.
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
Justinus Kerner
Justinus Andreas Christian Kerner was a German poet, practicing physician, and medical writer. He was born at Ludwigsburg in Württemberg. After attending the classical schools of Ludwigsburg and Maulbronn, he was apprenticed in a cloth factory,…