Text & Translation
Nachtwandler
German source:
Max Kalbeck
Dess, den lind ein Traum umfangen!
Laß ihm seinen süßen Kummer!
Ihm sein schmerzliches Verlangen!
Sorgen und Gefahren drohen,
Aber keine wird ihm schrecken,
Kommst du nicht, den Schlafesfrohen
Durch ein hartes Wort zu wecken.
Still in seinen Traum versunken
Geht er über Abgrundtiefen
Wie vom Licht des Vollmonds trunken,
Weh’ den Lippen, die ihn riefen!
Sleepwalker
English translation ©
Richard Stokes
Of one whom dreams have softly embraced!
Leave him to his sweet grief!
To his painful longing!
Though cares and dangers threaten,
None of them will frighten him,
Unless you with harsh words
Rouse him from his happy sleep.
Silently immersed in his dream,
He passes over deep abysses,
As though drunk with the full moon’s light,
Woe to the lips that would call him!
Translations by Richard Stokes, author of The Book of Lieder (Faber, 2005)
Nachtwandler
German source:
Max Kalbeck
Sleepwalker
English source:
Richard Stokes
Störe nicht den leisen Schlummer
Do not disturb the gentle slumber
Dess, den lind ein Traum umfangen!
Of one whom dreams have softly embraced!
Laß ihm seinen süßen Kummer!
Leave him to his sweet grief!
Ihm sein schmerzliches Verlangen!
To his painful longing!
Sorgen und Gefahren drohen,
Though cares and dangers threaten,
Aber keine wird ihm schrecken,
None of them will frighten him,
Kommst du nicht, den Schlafesfrohen
Unless you with harsh words
Durch ein hartes Wort zu wecken.
Rouse him from his happy sleep.
Still in seinen Traum versunken
Silently immersed in his dream,
Geht er über Abgrundtiefen
He passes over deep abysses,
Wie vom Licht des Vollmonds trunken,
As though drunk with the full moon’s light,
Weh’ den Lippen, die ihn riefen!
Woe to the lips that would call him!
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…
