Wandrers Nachtlied (Wanderers Night Song)
Der du von dem Himmel bist,
Alles Leid und Schmerzen stillest,
Den, der doppelt elend ist,
Doppelt mit Erquickung füllest,
- Ach, ich bin des Treibens müde,
Was soll all der Schmerz und Lust? -
Süßer Friede,
Komm, ach komm in meine breast! brust
You who art from heaven,
Who quiets all that is painfull,
Who twice fills with refreshment
that which is twice miserable.
- I am weary of the bustle
why all the pain? -
Sweet peace,
Come, come into my breast!
Goethe beautifully captures the longing for peace; but peace as tranquility amidst the storm, not the absence of the storm.
Addendum: Longfellow has produced a translation that is much more poetic than mine. Longfellow:
Thou that from the heavens art,
Every pain and sorrow stillest,
And the doubly wretched heart
Doubly with refreshment fillest,
I am weary with contending!
Why this rapture and unrest?
Peace descending
Come ah, come into my breast!
Posted on February 7th, 2007 at 1:16 pm
This first part of Goethe’s famous, wonderful Nachtlied was challenging for me to locate for my purely personal need. Many thanks. You may want to correct the typo in the original German. It’s “meine Brust” for breast to rhyme with Lust.
Posted on April 26th, 2007 at 11:33 pm
Thanks for the correction Kaj – can’t believe I missed that.