by Robert Burns (1759 - 1796)
Translation by Ferdinand Freiligrath (1810 - 1876)
The gloomy night is gath'ring fast
Language: English
Our translations: FRE
The gloomy night is gath'ring fast, Loud roars the wild, inconstant blast, Yon murky cloud is foul with rain, I see it driving o'er the plain; The hunter now has left the moor. The scatt'red coveys meet secure; While here I wander, prest with care, Along the lonely banks of Ayr. The Autumn mourns her rip'ning corn By early Winter's ravage torn; Across her placid, azure sky, She sees the scowling tempest fly: Chill runs my blood to hear it rave; I think upon the stormy wave, Where many a danger I must dare, Far from the bonie banks of Ayr. 'Tis not the surging billow's roar, 'Tis not that fatal, deadly shore; Tho' death in ev'ry shape appear, The wretched have no more to fear: But round my heart the ties are bound, That heart transpierc'd with many a wound; These bleed afresh, those ties I tear, To leave the bonie banks of Ayr. Farewell, old Coila's hills and dales, Her healthy moors and winding vales; The scenes where wretched Fancy roves, Pursuing past, unhappy loves! Farewell, my friends! farewell, my foes! My peace with these, my love with those: The bursting tears my heart declare -- Farewell, the bonie banks of Ayr!
About the headline (FAQ)
Tune: "Roslin Castle."Confirmed with Robert Burns, The Poetical Works of Robert Burns, Humphrey Milford, Oxford University Press, 1919, page 342, titled "The gloomy night". In some other editions the title is "Farewell to the Banks of Ayr"
Text Authorship:
- by Robert Burns (1759 - 1796), title 1: "The gloomy night", title 2: "Farewell to the Banks of Ayr" [author's text checked 1 time against a primary source]
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
- by Henry Hugo Pierson (1816 - 1873), as Henry Hugo Pearson, "The Banks of Ayr", published 1842 [ voice and piano ], from 6 Lieder von Freiligrath nach R. Burns, no. 1, Leipzig, Kistner, also set in German (Deutsch) [sung text not yet checked]
Settings in other languages, adaptations, or excerpts:
- Also set in German (Deutsch), a translation by Ferdinand Freiligrath (1810 - 1876) , no title, appears in Gedichte, in Robert Burns. Elf Lieder [later 13 Lieder], no. 4, first published 1838 ; composed by Adolf Jensen, Luise Adolpha Le Beau, Henry Hugo Pierson, as Henry Hugo Pearson.
- Also set in German (Deutsch), a translation by Heinrich Julius Heintze (1811 - 1860) , "Schnell bricht die dunkle Nacht", appears in Lieder und Balladen des Schotten Robert Burns, Braunschweig: George Westermann, first published 1840 ; composed by John Böie.
- Also set in German (Deutsch), a translation by Heinrich Leuthold (1827 - 1879) ; composed by Wilhelm Sturm.
- Go to the text. [Note: the text is not in the database yet.]
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Other available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- FRE French (Français) (Pierre Mathé) , "Adieu aux rive de l'Ayr", copyright © 2019, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Research team for this page: Emily Ezust [Administrator] , Pierre Mathé [Guest Editor]
This text was added to the website: 2006-12-28
Line count: 32
Word count: 203
Die finstre Nacht bricht schnell herein
Language: German (Deutsch) after the English
Die finstre Nacht bricht schnell herein, Der Sturmwind heult; mit Regen dräu'n Die trüben Wolken; schwärzlich stehn Sie über diesen nackten Höhn. Der Jäger wandert heim vom Moor, Das Rebhuhn duckt sich unters Rohr, Und ich, das Herz von Sorgen schwer, Geh' einsam hier entlang den Ayr. Der Herbst beweint sein reifend Korn, So früh schon von des Winters Zorn Zerstört; am Abendhimmel sieht Den Sturm er, wie er murrend flieht. Kalt wird in meiner Brust das Blut, Gedenk' ich der bewegten Flut, Und daß ich ziehn muß über Meer, Weit, weit von deinen Ufern, Ayr! 'S ist nicht die Brandung, die das Land Wild zürnend schlägt; nicht dieser Strand, Mit Trümmern manches Wracks bedeckt; Der kalte Sturmwind nicht - was schreckt Den Sohn des Elends? - aber trägt Mein wundes Herz nicht Fesseln? schlägt Es krampfhaft nicht, und blutet sehr, Da es sie bricht, dich meidend, Ayr? Lebt wohl, ihr Schluchten und ihr Seen, Ihr haidekrautbewachs'nen Höhn! Du grünes Thal, du stiller Pfad, Die meiner Liebe Schmerz ihr saht! - Freund! - Feind! - lebt wohl! Ich segn' euch gleich[.] Meine Lieb', mein Friede sei mit euch! O, dieser Thränensturz sagt mehr, Als Worte! - Lebe wohl, mein Ayr!
About the headline (FAQ)
Text Authorship:
- by Ferdinand Freiligrath (1810 - 1876), no title, appears in Gedichte, in Robert Burns. Elf Lieder [later 13 Lieder], no. 4, first published 1838 [author's text checked 1 time against a primary source]
Based on:
- a text in English by Robert Burns (1759 - 1796), title 1: "The gloomy night", title 2: "Farewell to the Banks of Ayr"
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
- by Adolf Jensen (1837 - 1879), "Lebe wohl, mein Ayr!", op. 49 no. 7, published 1874 [ voice and piano ], from Sieben Lieder von Robert Burns, no. 7, Breslau, Hainauer [sung text not yet checked]
- by Luise Adolpha Le Beau (1850 - 1927), "In den Ufern des Ayr", op. 29 (Zwei Gesänge) no. 1 [ low voice and piano ] [sung text not yet checked]
- by Henry Hugo Pierson (1816 - 1873), as Henry Hugo Pearson, "Die Ayren-Ufer", published 1842 [ voice and piano ], from 6 Lieder von Freiligrath nach R. Burns, no. 1, Leipzig, Kistner, also set in English [sung text not yet checked]
Researcher for this page: Sharon Krebs [Guest Editor]
This text was added to the website: 2010-11-14
Line count: 32
Word count: 194