2.05.2005

Über allen Gipfeln ist Ruh

Über allen Gipfeln ist Ruh
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749-1832)
(Translation by Milan Kundera)

Über allen Gipfeln
Ist Ruh,
In allen Wipfeln
Spürest du
Kaum einen Hauch;
Die Vögelein schweigen im Walde.
Warte nur, balde
Ruhest du auch.

On all hilltops
There is peace,
In all treetops
You will hear
Hardly a breath.
Birds in the woods are silent.
Just wait, soon
You too will rest.


2 comments:

Anonymous said...

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AF said...

The translation is not actually by Kundera. It is a translation by Peter Kussi into English from a Czech translation by Kundera who probably got it from some French translation of the original German. It is a translation of a translation (of another translation, possibly.)

Anyway, if you're curious, here's my attempt:

http://poemsintranslation.blogspot.com/2009/09/jw-goethe-wayfarers-evening-song-from.html