Text & Translation
Um Mitternacht
German source:
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
Klein kleiner Knabe, jenen Kirchhof hin
Zu Vaters Haus, des Pfarrers; Stern an Sterne,
Sie leuchteten doch alle gar zu schön;
Um Mitternacht.
Wenn ich dann ferner in des Lebens Weite
Zur Liebsten mußte, mußte, weil sie zog,
Gestirn und Nordschein über mir im Streite,
Ich gehend, kommend Seligkeiten sog;
Um Mitternacht.
Bis dann zuletzt des vollen Mondes Helle
So klar und deutlich mir ins Finstere drang,
Auch der Gedanke willig, sinnig, schnelle
Sich ums Vergangne wie ums Künftige schlang;
Um Mitternacht.
At midnight, as a very little boy, I would walk
English translation ©
Richard Stokes
Far from willingly, past that churchyard
To father’s vicarage; star on star,
How beautifully they all shone;
At midnight.
When further on in life I had to go
To my beloved, had to because she drew me on,
I saw the stars and Northern Lights compete;
I came, I went, drinking in her bliss;
At midnight.
Until at last the moon’s full radiance
Pierced my darkness so clearly and brightly,
That also my thoughts, willingly, meaningfully, swiftly
Embraced the past and the future;
At midnight.
Um Mitternacht
German source:
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
At midnight, as a very little boy, I would walk
English source:
Richard Stokes
Um Mitternacht ging ich, nicht eben gerne,
At midnight, as a very little boy, I would walk,
Klein kleiner Knabe, jenen Kirchhof hin
Far from willingly, past that churchyard
Zu Vaters Haus, des Pfarrers; Stern an Sterne,
To father’s vicarage; star on star,
Sie leuchteten doch alle gar zu schön;
How beautifully they all shone;
Um Mitternacht.
At midnight.
Wenn ich dann ferner in des Lebens Weite
When further on in life I had to go
Zur Liebsten mußte, mußte, weil sie zog,
To my beloved, had to because she drew me on,
Gestirn und Nordschein über mir im Streite,
I saw the stars and Northern Lights compete;
Ich gehend, kommend Seligkeiten sog;
I came, I went, drinking in her bliss;
Um Mitternacht.
At midnight.
Bis dann zuletzt des vollen Mondes Helle
Until at last the moon’s full radiance
So klar und deutlich mir ins Finstere drang,
Pierced my darkness so clearly and brightly,
Auch der Gedanke willig, sinnig, schnelle
That also my thoughts, willingly, meaningfully, swiftly
Sich ums Vergangne wie ums Künftige schlang;
Embraced the past and the future;
Um Mitternacht.
At midnight.
Composer
Poet
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
Johann Wolfgang Goethe was a German writer and statesman. His body of work includes epic and lyric poetry written in a variety of metres and styles; prose and verse dramas; memoirs; an autobiography; literary and aesthetic criticism; treatises on…