Kinder, kehret in's Leben zuruck!
German source:
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
Eure Tränen trockne die frische Luft,
Die um das schlängelnde Wasser spielt.
Entflieht der Nacht!
Tag und Lust und Dauer ist der Lebendigen Los!
Auf, wir kehren in’s Leben zurück!
Gebe der Tag uns Arbeit und Lust,
Bis der Abend uns Ruhe bringt
Und der Schlaf uns erquickt.
Children, return to life!
English translation ©
Richard Stokes
May your tears be dried by the fresh air
That plays around the winding water.
Fly from night!
Day and joy and permanence is the lot of the living!
Arise! We must return to life!
May the day give us work and joy,
Until evening brings us rest
And sleep refreshes us.
Translations by Richard Stokes, author of The Book of Lieder (Faber, 2005)
Kinder, kehret in's Leben zuruck!
German source:
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
Children, return to life!
English source:
Richard Stokes
Kinder, kehret in’s Leben zurück!
Children, return to life!
Eure Tränen trockne die frische Luft,
May your tears be dried by the fresh air
Die um das schlängelnde Wasser spielt.
That plays around the winding water.
Entflieht der Nacht!
Fly from night!
Tag und Lust und Dauer ist der Lebendigen Los!
Day and joy and permanence is the lot of the living!
Auf, wir kehren in’s Leben zurück!
Arise! We must return to life!
Gebe der Tag uns Arbeit und Lust,
May the day give us work and joy,
Bis der Abend uns Ruhe bringt
Until evening brings us rest
Und der Schlaf uns erquickt.
And sleep refreshes us.
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
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
Johann Wolfgang Goethe was a German writer and statesman. His body of work includes epic and lyric poetry written in a variety of metres and styles; prose and verse dramas; memoirs; an autobiography; literary and aesthetic criticism; treatises on…