Songs

Schon streckt’ ich aus im Bett die müden Glieder

by Hugo Wolf From Italienisches Liederbuch

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Text & Translation

View IPA

Schon streckt’ ich aus im Bett die müden Glieder
German source: Paul Heyse

Schon streckt’ ich aus im Bett die müden Glieder,
Da tritt dein Bildnis vor mich ihn, du Traute.
Gleich spring’ ich auf, fahr’ in die Schuhe wieder
Und wandre durch die Stadt mit meiner Laute.
Ich sing’ und spiele, dass die Strasse schallt;
So manche lauscht – vorüber bin ich bald.
So manches Mädchen hat mein Lied gerührt,
Indes der Wind schon Sang und Klang entführt.

I'd already stretched my tired limbs out in bed
English translation © Richard Stokes

I’d already stretched my tired limbs out in bed,
When you appeared to me in a vision, my love.
I jump straight up, get into my shoes again
And walk through the town with my lute.
The streets resound with my singing and playing;
Many a girl listens, – I have soon passed by.
Many a girl is moved by my song,
While my singing and playing is wafted away on the wind.

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

Schon streckt’ ich aus im Bett die müden Glieder
German source: Paul Heyse

I'd already stretched my tired limbs out in bed
English source: Richard Stokes

Schon streckt’ ich aus im Bett die müden Glieder,
I’d already stretched my tired limbs out in bed,
Da tritt dein Bildnis vor mich ihn, du Traute.
When you appeared to me in a vision, my love.
Gleich spring’ ich auf, fahr’ in die Schuhe wieder
I jump straight up, get into my shoes again
Und wandre durch die Stadt mit meiner Laute.
And walk through the town with my lute.
Ich sing’ und spiele, dass die Strasse schallt;
The streets resound with my singing and playing;
So manche lauscht – vorüber bin ich bald.
Many a girl listens, – I have soon passed by.
So manches Mädchen hat mein Lied gerührt,
Many a girl is moved by my song,
Indes der Wind schon Sang und Klang entführt.
While my singing and playing is wafted away on the wind.

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

Paul Heyse

Paul Johann Ludwig von Heyse was a distinguished German writer and translator. A member of two important literary societies, the Tunnel über der Spree in Berlin and Die Krokodile in Munich, he wrote novels, poetry, 177 short stories, and about sixty…

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