Dear DPRK007,
The common version of "Guter Mond" is rather short, with only three
verses. Based on an 18th century folk song, German poet Karl Wilhelm
Ferdinand Enslin (born 21 September 1819 in Frankfurt am Main; died 14
October 1875 ibid.) wrote his poem "An den Mond" ("To the Moon"). It
was published in 1859 in his book "Lebensfrühling: Gedichte für die
Jugend" ("Spring of Life: Poems for Young People").
Numerous longer variants of the poem exist, with origins unknown. For
reference purposes, I have translated one of those versions, too. You
will find it in the annex. The music is traditional.
This is the translation of Enslin's version (for the German text, see the annex):
To the Moon.
Dear Moon, you drift so quietly
Through the evening clouds.
Your creator's wise will
Made you follow that course.
Kindly shine for any tired one
Into his little room,
And your gleam shall bring peace
To a harried heart.
Dear Moon, you wander silently
Along the blue canopy,
Where God to His glory
Placed you as a lustre.
Cordially look down to us
Through the night on Earth.
As a trusty guard of man
You proclaim God's love.
Dear Moon, so gently and softly
You gleam in the ocean of stars,
Flow in the lucid regions
Nobly and solemnly.
Comforter of men, messenger of God,
Enthroned on clouds of peace:
To the most beautiful aurora
You lead us, o dear Moon!
I did not find a recording that matches exactly either of the versions
I provided you, but here is a rather recent recording consisting that
combines the second verse of the longer version, then Enslin's first
verse, and finally the fifth verse of the long version [1]:
http://www.bfm-bariton.de/musicfiles/guter_mond_du_gehst.mp3
I hope that this will be useful!
Regards,
Scriptor
=== Annex ===
Additional Longer Version Translation
(For the German version that served as basis, see below)
Dear Moon, you drift so quietly
Through the evening clouds.
Your creator's wise will
Made you follow that course.
Kindly shine for any tired one
Into his little room,
And your gleam shall bring peace
To a harried heart.
Dear Moon, o bring peace
To a poor human heart.
From the earthly sorrow
Turn our soul heavenwards.
Gently and friendly you look down
From heaven's blue marquee,
And our songs ascend
Brightly to the Lord of the world.
Dear Moon, you wander silently
Along the blue canopy,
Where God to His glory
Placed you as a lustre.
Cordially look down to us
Through the night on Earth.
As a trusty guard of man
You proclaim God's love.
Dear Moon, you drift so quietly
In the evening clouds.
You are so calm, and I feel
That I am restless.
Woefully my gaze follows
Your quiet and carefree course.
O how had is my fate
Because I can not follow you.
Dear Moon, only you I will tell
What grieves my fearful heart,
And of whom with bitter lament
The saddened soul thinks!
Dear Moon, you may know it
Because you are so reticent,
Why my tears flow
And my heart is doleful.
O, that in our hearts, too,
Heavenly silence came,
So that ever free from sorrow,
Always contented we could be!
Softly your gleam enshrouds us,
Clear, mild moonshine.
Human heart, o if you always
Were as pure as this light!
Karl Enslin's version of the poem the translation is based on:
Guter Mond, du gehst so stille
Durch die Abendwolken hin.
Deines Schöpfers weiser Wille
Hieß auf jene Bahn dich zieh'n.
Leuchte freundlich jedem Müden
In das stille Kämmerlein
Und dein Schimmer gieße Frieden
Ins bedrängte Herz hinein!
Guter Mond du wandelst leise
An dem blauen Himmelszelt,
Wo dich Gott zu seinem Preise
Hat als Leuchte hingestellt
Blicke traulich zu uns nieder
Durch die Nacht aufs Erdenrund.
Als ein treuer Menschenhüter
Tust du Gottes Liebe kund.
Guter Mond, so sanft und milde
Glänzest du im Sternenmeer,
Wallest in dem Lichtgefilde
Hehr und feierlich einher.
Menschentröster, Gottesbote,
Der auf Friedenswolken thront:
Zu dem schönsten Morgenrote
Führst du uns, o guter Mond!
The German version the additional translation is based on:
Guter Mond, du gehst so stille
Durch die Abendwolken hin.
Deines Schöpfers weiser Wille
Hieß auf jene Bahn dich zieh'n.
Leuchte freundlich jedem Müden
In das stille Kämmerlein
Und dein Schimmer gieße Frieden
Ins bedrängte Herz hinein!
Guter Mond, o gieße Frieden
In das arme Menschenherz.
Wende von dem Schmerz hienieden
Uns're Seele himmelwärts.
Mild und freundlich schaust du nieder
Von des Himmels blauem Zelt,
Und es tönen unsre Lieder
Hell hinauf zum Herrn der Welt.
Guter Mond du wandelst leise
An dem blauen Himmelszelt,
Wo dich Gott zu seinem Preise
Hat als Leuchte hingestellt
Blicke traulich zu uns nieder
Durch die Nacht aufs Erdenrund.
Als ein treuer Menschenhüter
Tust du Gottes Liebe kund.
Guter Mond, du gehst so stille
In den Abendwolken hin,
Bist so ruhig, und ich fühle,
Daß ich ohne Ruhe bin.
Traurig folgen meine Blicke
Deiner stillen, heitern Bahn.
O wie hart ist mein Geschicke,
Daß ich dir nicht folgen kann.
Guter Mond, dir will ich's sagen,
Was mein banges Herze kränkt,
Und an wen mit bittren Klagen
Die betrübte Seele denkt!
Guter Mond, du kannst es wissen,
Weil du so verschwiegen bist,
Warum meine Tränen fließen
Und mein Herz so traurig ist.
Ach, daß auch in uns're Herzen
Himmelsruhe zöge ein,
Daß wir immer frei von Schmerzen,
Stets zufrieden möchten sein!
Sanft umströmet uns dein Schimmer,
Klarer milder Mondenschein
Menscheherz, o daß du immer
Wärst wie dieses Licht so rein!
Sources:
[1] Burkhard Friedrich Mayer - Bariton: Zum Reinhören
http://www.bfm-bariton.de/mp3-files/mp3.htm
University of Braunschweig Digital Library: Lebensfrühling - Gedichte
für die Jugend
http://www.digibib.tu-bs.de/?docid=00000667
Ingeborg Volkslieder: Guter Mond
http://www.ingeb.org/Lieder/GuterMon.html |
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