Wiegenliedchen
German source:
Richard Dehmel
Wiegt sich im Sonnenschein,
Spielt um mein Kindelein,
Summt dich in Schlummer ein,
Süßes Gesicht.
Spinnchen, Spinnchen,
Flimmert im Sonnenschein,
Schlummre, mein Kindelein,
Spinnt dich in Träume ein,
Rühre dich nicht.
Tief-Edelinchen
Schlüpft aus dem Sonnenschein,
Träume, mein Kindelein,
Haucht dir ein Seelchen ein,
Liebe zum Licht.
A little lullaby
German translation ©
Richard Stokes
Sways in the sunshine,
Plays about my little child,
Hums you to sleep,
You with the lovely face.
Little spider, little spider
Shimmers in the sunshine,
Go to sleep, my little child,
He will cocoon you in dreams,
Do not stir.
Tief-Edelinchen
Slips from the sunshine,
Dream, my little child,
It will breathe into you a little soul—
Love to light.
Translation © Richard Stokes, author of The Book of Lieder (Faber, 2005)
Wiegenliedchen
German source:
Richard Dehmel
A little lullaby
German source:
Richard Stokes
Bienchen, Bienchen,
Little bee, little bee
Wiegt sich im Sonnenschein,
Sways in the sunshine,
Spielt um mein Kindelein,
Plays about my little child,
Summt dich in Schlummer ein,
Hums you to sleep,
Süßes Gesicht.
You with the lovely face.
Spinnchen, Spinnchen,
Little spider, little spider
Flimmert im Sonnenschein,
Shimmers in the sunshine,
Schlummre, mein Kindelein,
Go to sleep, my little child,
Spinnt dich in Träume ein,
He will cocoon you in dreams,
Rühre dich nicht.
Do not stir.
Tief-Edelinchen
Tief-Edelinchen
Schlüpft aus dem Sonnenschein,
Slips from the sunshine,
Träume, mein Kindelein,
Dream, my little child,
Haucht dir ein Seelchen ein,
It will breathe into you a little soul—
Liebe zum Licht.
Love to light.
Composer
Richard Strauss
Richard Georg Strauss was a German composer of the late Romantic and early modern eras. He is particularly well-known for his operas, Lieder, and tone poems. Read more here.
Poet
Richard Dehmel
Richard Fedor Leopold Dehmel was a German poet and writer. His poems use a range of metrical patterns, and have been set to music by composers such as Richard Strauss, Arnold Schoenberg, and Kurt Weill. His poetry often focused on themes of love and…