Songs

Peregrina I

by Hugo Wolf From Mörike-Lieder

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Text & Translation

View IPA

Peregrina I
German source: Eduard Mörike

Der Spiegel dieser treuen, braunen Augen
Ist wie von innerm Gold ein Widerschein;
Tief aus dem Busen scheint er's anzusaugen,
Dort mag solch Gold in heilgem Gram gedeihn.
In diese Nacht des Blickes mich zu tauchen,
Unwissend Kind, du selber lädst mich ein –
Willst, ich soll kecklich mich und dich entzünden,
Reichst lächelnd mir den Tod im Kelch der Sünden!

Peregrina I
English translation © Richard Stokes

The surface of these faithful brown eyes
Seems to mirror the gleam of inner gold;
Seems to draw it from deep within your breast –
There, in hallowed grief such gold may thrive.
To plunge into this dark night of your gaze,
Innocent child, you yourself invite me –
Wish me boldly to consume us both in fire,
Smile as you offer me death in the chalice of sin!

Translation © Richard Stokes, author of The Book of Lieder (Faber, 2005)

Peregrina I
German source: Eduard Mörike

Peregrina I
English source: Richard Stokes

Der Spiegel dieser treuen, braunen Augen
The surface of these faithful brown eyes
Ist wie von innerm Gold ein Widerschein;
Seems to mirror the gleam of inner gold;
Tief aus dem Busen scheint er's anzusaugen,
Seems to draw it from deep within your breast –
Dort mag solch Gold in heilgem Gram gedeihn.
There, in hallowed grief such gold may thrive.
In diese Nacht des Blickes mich zu tauchen,
To plunge into this dark night of your gaze,
Unwissend Kind, du selber lädst mich ein –
Innocent child, you yourself invite me –
Willst, ich soll kecklich mich und dich entzünden,
Wish me boldly to consume us both in fire,
Reichst lächelnd mir den Tod im Kelch der Sünden!
Smile as you offer me death in the chalice of sin!

Composer

Hugo Wolf

Hugo Filipp Jakob Wolf was born on 13 March 1860, the fourth of six surviving children, in Windischgraz, Styria, then part of the Austrian Empire. He was taught the piano and violin by his father at an early age and continued to study piano at the…

Poet

Eduard Mörike

Eduard Friedrich Mörike was a German Romantic poet. Mörike was born in Ludwigsburg. His father was Karl Friedrich Mörike (d. 1817), a district medical councilor; his mother was Charlotte Bayer. He attended the Latin school at Ludwigsburg, and the…

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