Trost im Gesang
German source:
Justinus Kerner
So Sonn’ als Mondenlicht,
Der singt ein Lied in’s Dunkel
Und härmt sich länger nicht.
Er schreitet muthig weiter
Die menschenleere Bahn,
Viel lichte Sangesbilder
Die ziehen ihm voran.
Nacht ist’s auch mir geworden,
Die Freunde stehen fern,
Von meinem Himmel schwindet
Der allerletzte Stern;
Doch geh’ ich muthig weiter
Die menschenleere Bahn,
Noch ziehen Sangesbilder
Ja mir auch licht voran.
Consolation in song
English translation ©
Richard Stokes
Sunlight and moonlight,
Sings a song through the darkness
And grieves no more.
Confidently he steps out
Along the deserted road,
Yet many bright songs
Draw him on.
On me too night has descended,
My friends are far away,
The last star of all
Has vanished from my heaven;
Yet confidently I step out
Along the deserted road,
And many bright songs
Also draw me on.
Translations by Richard Stokes, author of The Book of Lieder (Faber, 2005)
Trost im Gesang
German source:
Justinus Kerner
Consolation in song
English source:
Richard Stokes
Der Wanderer, dem verschwunden
The traveller, bereft of both
So Sonn’ als Mondenlicht,
Sunlight and moonlight,
Der singt ein Lied in’s Dunkel
Sings a song through the darkness
Und härmt sich länger nicht.
And grieves no more.
Er schreitet muthig weiter
Confidently he steps out
Die menschenleere Bahn,
Along the deserted road,
Viel lichte Sangesbilder
Yet many bright songs
Die ziehen ihm voran.
Draw him on.
Nacht ist’s auch mir geworden,
On me too night has descended,
Die Freunde stehen fern,
My friends are far away,
Von meinem Himmel schwindet
The last star of all
Der allerletzte Stern;
Has vanished from my heaven;
Doch geh’ ich muthig weiter
Yet confidently I step out
Die menschenleere Bahn,
Along the deserted road,
Noch ziehen Sangesbilder
And many bright songs
Ja mir auch licht voran.
Also draw me on.
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
Justinus Kerner
Justinus Andreas Christian Kerner was a German poet, practicing physician, and medical writer. He was born at Ludwigsburg in Württemberg. After attending the classical schools of Ludwigsburg and Maulbronn, he was apprenticed in a cloth factory,…