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O wenn es wahr, daß in der Nacht, Wann alle ruhen, die da leben, Und wann die Mondesstrahlen sacht Herab auf Leichensteine schweben, O wenn es wahr ist, daß alsdann Die Gräber [leeren]1 sich, die stillen, Ruf' ich, harr' ich um Leila's willen; Zu mir, mein Lieb, heran, heran! Zeig dich, geliebter Schatten, gleich Wie du erschienest vor dem Scheiden, Wie Wintertag so kalt, so bleich, Entstellt vom letzten Todesleiden; Schweb' wie ein ferner Stern heran, Wie leiser Klang, wie Windeswehen, Wie ein Gesicht, schrecklich zu sehen, Mir alles gleich: heran! heran! Ich rufe dich, nicht darum, nein! Um jener Bosheit anzuklagen, Die tödteten den Engel mein; Nicht [Grabes Räthsel]2 zu erfragen, Nicht darum, weil mich dann und wann Der Zweifel quält... ich will nur schmerzlich Dir sagen, daß ich liebe herzlich, Daß ich ganz [dein]3! heran! heran!
Confirmed with Dichtungen von A. Puschkin und M. Lermontow. Deutsch von Theodor Opitz, Berlin, Verlag von A. Hofmann & Comp., 1859, pages 79-80.
1 Nietzsche: "öffnen"
2 Nietzsche: "Grabesrätsel"
3 Nietzsche: "dein bin"
Text Authorship:
- by Theodor Opitz (1820 - 1896), "Beschwörung", written 1828 [author's text checked 1 time against a primary source]
Based on:
- a text in Russian (Русский) by Aleksandr Sergeyevich Pushkin (1799 - 1837), "Заклинание", first published 1830
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
- by Carl Goldmark (1830 - 1915), "Beschwörung", op. 20 (187-?), published 1875 [ voice and piano ], Wien, Gotthard [sung text checked 2 times]
- by Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche (1844 - 1900), "Beschwörung", NWV 20 (1864) [sung text checked 1 time]
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- ENG English (Barbara Miller) , "Entreaty", copyright © 2004, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- ENG English (Elisabeth Siekhaus) , "Entreaty", copyright © 2008, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- LIT Lithuanian (Lietuvių kalba) (Giedrius Prunskus) , "Užkeikimas", copyright © 2022, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Researcher for this page: John Versmoren
This text was added to the website: 2003-11-04
Line count: 24
Word count: 138
O if it is true, that at night, while all those alive are resting, and when the moonbeams gently Float down onto gravestones, O if it is true that then the graves open, the silent ones I call, I stay for Leila's sake. To me, my love, come out, come out! Appear, beloved shade, just As you appeared before the separation, As cold as a winter's day, as pale, Distorted from the last pains of death. Float closer as a distant star, As a gentle sound, as a light breath, As a sight horrible to see. It is all the same to me: come here, come here! I call you, not in order, no, to charge someone with a crime, that took away my angel, nor to ascertain the mystery of death1. Nor in order to, because now and then Doubt torments [me], I want only painfully to say to you, that I love you truly, That I am ever yours, come here, come here!
1 literally, "grave-riddle"
Text Authorship:
- Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2008 by Elisabeth Siekhaus, (re)printed on this website with kind permission. To reprint and distribute this author's work for concert programs, CD booklets, etc., you may ask the copyright-holder(s) directly or ask us; we are authorized to grant permission on their behalf. Please provide the translator's name when contacting us.
Contact: licenses@email.lieder.example.net
Based on:
- a text in German (Deutsch) by Theodor Opitz (1820 - 1896), "Beschwörung", written 1828
Based on:
- a text in Russian (Русский) by Aleksandr Sergeyevich Pushkin (1799 - 1837), "Заклинание", first published 1830
This text was added to the website: 2008-04-04
Line count: 24
Word count: 165