Hymns to Night is a pretty astounding prose poem by the German Romantic, Novalis. I am not completely satisfied with the translation I have found, by George MacDonald, although it does have much beauty about it. So I'm trying to put together something better. Want to help? The German is on the left, the MacDonald translation is on the right. As we start to establish a working version, I will put it in the middle. Click 'See suggestions'/'Make suggestion' to find out what people are saying about a particular line, and to contribute your own thoughts. Thanks!
(Click on a chapter number or paragraph number to see only the relevant portion.)
Oh, and it occurs to me I ought to say something about copyright or whatever -- no great legal mind I -- this project is intended primarily for 'publication', so-called, on this web site. Anyone who contributes will be credited, assuming they want to be; no remuneration is in the cards. If something weird happens to the space-time fabric and it becomes possible to publish this extra-blogularly, permission to do so will be sought from all who contributed (and who made it possible to contact them); but the final say about such a thing would be in my court. If things really got wacky and there were money, I would ask everybody about which odd-ball charity to donate it to; but I think I'm getting sufficiently outside the realm of the actual that there is no need to cover the bases.
Also: Gary has posted his own translation in comments to my blog. It is well worth your while.
Down to the sweet bride,
To Jesus the beloved -
Evening falls, succors
The lover, the troubled.
A dream bursts our bonds
And sinks us into the Father's womb.
| Original | Working | MacDonald | |||
| 6: | 1. | Hinunter in der Erde Schoß, Weg aus des Lichtes Reichen, |
See suggestions (1) |
Into the bosom of the earth! Out of the Light's dominions! | |
| Der Schmerzen Wut und wilder Stoß Ist froher Abfahrt Zeichen. |
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Death's pains are but the bursting forth Of glad departures pinions! | |||
| Wir kommen in dem engen Kahn Geschwind am Himmelsufer an. |
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Swift in the narrow little boat, Swift to the heavenly shore we float! | |||
| 2. | Gelobt sei uns die ew'ge Nacht, Gelobt der ew'ge Schlummer. |
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Blest be the everlasting Night, And blest the endless slumber! | ||
| Wohl hat der Tag uns warm gemacht Und welk der lange Kummer. |
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We are heated with the day too bright, And withered up with cumber! | |||
| Die Lust der Fremde ging uns aus, Zum Vater wollen wir nach Haus. |
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We're weary of that life abroad: Come, we will now go home to God! | |||
| 3. | Was sollen wir auf dieser Welt Mit unsrer Lieb und Treue. |
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Why longer in this world abide? Why love and truth here cherish? | ||
| Das Alte wird hintangestellt, Was soll uns dann das Neue. |
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That which is old is set aside-- For us the new may perish! | |||
| Oh! einsam steht und tiefbetrübt, Wer heiß und fromm die Vorzeit liebt. |
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Alone he stands and sore downcast Who loves with pious warmth the Past. | |||
| 4. | Die Vorzeit, wo die Sinne licht In hohen Flammen brannten, |
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The Past where yet the human spirit In lofty flames did rise; | ||
| Des Vaters Hand und Angesicht Die Menschen noch erkannten, |
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Where men the Father did inherit, His countenance recognize; | |||
| Und hohen Sinns, einfältiglich Noch mancher seinem Urbild glich. |
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And, in simplicity made ripe, Many grew like their archetype. | |||
| 5. | Die Vorzeit, wo noch blütenreich Uralte Stämme prangten |
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The Past wherein, still rich in bloom Old stems did burgeon glorious; | ||
| Und Kinder für das Himmelreich Nach Qual und Tod verlangten. |
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And children, for the world to come, Sought pain and death victorious; | |||
| Und wenn auch Lust und Leben sprach, Doch manches Herz für Liebe brach. |
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And, through both life and pleasure spake, Yet many a heart for love did break. | |||
| 6. | Die Vorzeit, wo in Jugendglut Gott selbst sich kundgegeben |
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The Past, where to the flow of youth God yet himself declared; | ||
| Und frühem Tod in Liebesmut Geweiht sein süßes Leben. |
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And early death in loving truth The young beheld, and dared-- | |||
| Und Angst und Schmerz nicht von sich trieb, Damit er uns nur teuer blieb. |
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Anguish and torture parient bore To prove they loved him as of yore | |||
| 7. | Mit banger Sehnsucht sehn wir sie In dunkle Nacht gehüllet, |
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With anxious yearning now we see That Past in darkness drenched; | ||
| In dieser Zeitlichkeit wird nie Der heiße Durst gestillet. |
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With this world's water never we Shall find our hot thirst quenched: | |||
| Wir müssen nach der Heimat gehn, Um diese heil'ge Zeit zu sehn. |
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To our old home we have to go That blessed time again to know. | |||
| 8. | Was hält noch unsre Rückkehr auf, Die Liebsten ruhn schon lange. |
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What yet doth hinder our return? Long since repose our precious! | ||
| Ihr Grab schließt unsern Lebenslauf, Nun wird uns weh und bange. |
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Their grave is of our life the bourne; We shrink from times ungracious! | |||
| Zu suchen haben wir nichts mehr - Das Herz ist satt - die Welt ist leer. |
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By not a hope are we decoyed: The heart is full; the world is void. | |||
| 9. | Unendlich und geheimnisvoll Durchströmt uns süßer Schauer - |
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Infinite and mysterious, Thrills through me a sweet trembling, | ||
| Mir deucht, aus tiefen Fernen scholl Ein Echo unsrer Trauer. |
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As if from far there echoed thus A sigh, our grief resembling: | |||
| Die Lieben sehnen sich wohl auch Und sandten uns der Sehnsucht Hauch. |
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The dear ones long as well as I, And sent to me their waiting sigh. | |||
| 10. | Hinunter zu der süßen Braut, Zu Jesus, dem Geliebten - |
See suggestions (2) Down to the sweet bride, To Jesus the beloved - |
Down to the sweet bride, and away To the beloved Jesus! | ||
| Getrost, die Abenddämmrung graut Den Liebenden, Betrübten. |
See suggestions (2) Evening falls, succors The lover, the troubled. |
Courage! the evening shades grow gray, Of all our griefs to ease us! | |||
| Ein Traum bricht unsre Banden los Und senkt uns in des Vaters Schoß. |
See suggestions (2) A dream bursts our bonds And sinks us into the Father's womb. |
A dream will dash our chains apart, And lay us on the Father's heart |