Die Lotosblume
Die Lotosblume ängstigt
Sich vor der Sonne Pracht,
Und mit gesenktem Haupte
Erwartet sie träumend die Nacht.
Sich vor der Sonne Pracht,
Und mit gesenktem Haupte
Erwartet sie träumend die Nacht.
The lotus flower is afraid
of the sun's splendour,
and with bowed head
she waits, dreaming, for the night.
of the sun's splendour,
and with bowed head
she waits, dreaming, for the night.
Der Mond, der ist ihr Buhle,
Er weckt sie mit seinem Licht,
Und ihm entschleiert sie freundlich
Ihr frommes Blumengesicht.
Er weckt sie mit seinem Licht,
Und ihm entschleiert sie freundlich
Ihr frommes Blumengesicht.
The moon is her lover,
he wakes her with his light,
and to him she gladly unveils
her innocent flower-face.
he wakes her with his light,
and to him she gladly unveils
her innocent flower-face.
Sie blüht und glüht und leuchtet,
Und starret stumm in die Höh';
Sie duftet und weinet und zittert
Vor Liebe und Liebesweh.
Und starret stumm in die Höh';
Sie duftet und weinet und zittert
Vor Liebe und Liebesweh.
She blooms and glows and shines,
and gazes mutely up at the sky;
she breathes her fragrance and weeps and trembles
with love and the pain of love.
and gazes mutely up at the sky;
she breathes her fragrance and weeps and trembles
with love and the pain of love.
About the song. Heine's lotus shrinks from the sun and opens only to her secret lover, the moon. Schumann sets it over quiet repeated chords, saving the song's single climax for 'Sie blüht und glüht und leuchtet'. 'Buhle' is an old word for a lover, often a secret one; 'fromm' here means innocent rather than pious.
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Translation © Art Song Translations. You may print it free of charge in concert and recital programs with the credit "Translation: Art Song Translations". The German text is in the public domain; repetitions made by the composer are not printed.
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