Leises Lied
German source:
Richard Dehmel
an eines Brunnens Schacht,
wie wollt’ ich gerne warten
die lange graue Nacht!
Viel helle Lilien blühen
um des Brunnens Schlund;
drin schwimmen golden die Sterne,
drin badet sich der Mond.
Und wie in den Brunnen schimmern
die lieben Sterne hinein,
glänzt mir im Herzen immer
deiner lieben Augen schein.
Die Sterne doch am Himmel,
die stehen all’ so fern;
in deinem stillen Garten stünd’
ich jetzt so gern.
Gentle song
English translation ©
Richard Stokes
by the shaft of a well,
how I should love to wait
all the long and grey night through!
Many bright lilies blossom
around the well’s chasm;
the golden stars are floating there
and the moon is bathing.
And as the dear stars
gleam into the well,
so the light of your dear eyes
glows incessantly in my heart.
But the stars in the heavens are
all so distant;
would that I were standing now
in your silent garden.
Translation © Richard Stokes, author of The Book of Lieder (Faber, 2005)
Leises Lied
German source:
Richard Dehmel
Gentle song
English source:
Richard Stokes
In einem stillen Garten
In a silent garden
an eines Brunnens Schacht,
by the shaft of a well,
wie wollt’ ich gerne warten
how I should love to wait
die lange graue Nacht!
all the long and grey night through!
Viel helle Lilien blühen
Many bright lilies blossom
um des Brunnens Schlund;
around the well’s chasm;
drin schwimmen golden die Sterne,
the golden stars are floating there
drin badet sich der Mond.
and the moon is bathing.
Und wie in den Brunnen schimmern
And as the dear stars
die lieben Sterne hinein,
gleam into the well,
glänzt mir im Herzen immer
so the light of your dear eyes
deiner lieben Augen schein.
glows incessantly in my heart.
Die Sterne doch am Himmel,
But the stars in the heavens are
die stehen all’ so fern;
all so distant;
in deinem stillen Garten stünd’
would that I were standing now
ich jetzt so gern.
in your silent garden.
Composer
Richard Strauss
Richard Georg Strauss was a German composer of the late Romantic and early modern eras. He is particularly well-known for his operas, Lieder, and tone poems. Read more here.
Poet
Richard Dehmel
Richard Fedor Leopold Dehmel was a German poet and writer. His poems use a range of metrical patterns, and have been set to music by composers such as Richard Strauss, Arnold Schoenberg, and Kurt Weill. His poetry often focused on themes of love and…