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Johann Wolfgang von Goethe : Auf den Gipfeln

English translation: Calm is over all the hill-tops

09:49 Oct 29, 2001
German to English translations [Non-PRO]
Art/Literary
German term or phrase: Johann Wolfgang von Goethe : Auf den Gipfeln
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe : Auf den Gipfeln

Auf allen Gipfeln herrscht Ruhe,
Ich starre auf den ewigen Spitzen,
Die Sonne strahlt mich an,

Vermag mich zu fragen :

Warum ins Ferne fahren ?
Die Schönheit liegt so nah...
Crystal
English translation:Calm is over all the hill-tops
Explanation:
in all the treetops you can hardly feel a breath. The little birds are hushed in the wood. Wait, soon you will be calm too.

This is Goethe's "Wanderers Nachtlied II", and the above is the translation in the Penguin Book of German Verse
Selected response from:

Alison Schwitzgebel
France
Local time: 18:55
Grading comment
Graded automatically based on peer agreement. KudoZ.
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
5 +3Calm is over all the hill-tops
Alison Schwitzgebel
5 +3That's the standard translation
Werner George Patels, M.A., C.Tran.(ATIO) (X)
4 +3Oh God! I'm so stupid!
Alison Schwitzgebel
4 +1Loose translation
Kim Metzger
4I don't get it! Why not 'Uber allen Gipfeln'?
john mason


  

Answers


9 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5 peer agreement (net): +3
Calm is over all the hill-tops


Explanation:
in all the treetops you can hardly feel a breath. The little birds are hushed in the wood. Wait, soon you will be calm too.

This is Goethe's "Wanderers Nachtlied II", and the above is the translation in the Penguin Book of German Verse

Alison Schwitzgebel
France
Local time: 18:55
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish, Native in GermanGerman
PRO pts in pair: 3409
Grading comment
Graded automatically based on peer agreement. KudoZ.

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Thomas Bollmann
43 mins
  -> Thomas, read the question again - I screwed up here!!!!
agree  JózsefÁrpád Bende
16 hrs
agree  Henri (X)
1 day 21 hrs
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

11 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +1
Loose translation


Explanation:
Loose translation:
On all the mountain tops there is peace
I stare at the eternal peaks
The sun shines on me
Seems to be asking me:
Why look into the distance?
Beauty is so close


    Lit major
Kim Metzger
Mexico
Local time: 10:55
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in pair: 22192

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Henri (X)
1 day 21 hrs
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

12 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +3
Oh God! I'm so stupid!


Explanation:
I see Goethe and Gipfeln, and get totally sidetracked!

Calm reigns over all the hill-tops,
I gaze at their eternal peaks,
The sun shines down on me

I ask myself:

Why go so far away?
Beauty is so near....

That would do better. Just forget my answer above. ;-)

Alison Schwitzgebel
France
Local time: 18:55
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish, Native in GermanGerman
PRO pts in pair: 3409

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Kim Metzger: Much closer to the original, Alison :)
12 mins
  -> Yes, I hear Goethe and Gipfel and all of a sudden I'm back there in my German Lit. class.....
agree  Uschi (Ursula) Walke: lovely! Literally, the sun is asking you. How about: the sun shines down on me and makes me wonder ... :-)
5 hrs
agree  JózsefÁrpád Bende
16 hrs
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29 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5 peer agreement (net): +3
That's the standard translation


Explanation:
Selected German Verse by J.W. Goethe
From your Guide for German Language

In the original German with a
line-by-line prose translation in English.




Wandrers Nachtlied II Wayfarer's Night Song II
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe Prose Translation by Hyde Flippo

Over all the hilltops is calm.
In all the treetops you feel
hardly a breath of air.
The little birds fall silent in the woods.
Just wait... soon you'll also be at rest.


Werner George Patels, M.A., C.Tran.(ATIO) (X)
Local time: 12:55
PRO pts in pair: 238

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Serge L: here's the link: http://german.about.com/library/blwander.htm?once=true&
17 mins
  -> Thank you
neutral  Alison Schwitzgebel: yes, but this is a different poem. It was me who got it all mixed up in my first answer
1 hr
  -> No, Crystal mixed it up. "Gipfeln" is from Wayfarer's Night Song.
agree  JózsefÁrpád Bende
15 hrs
  -> Thank you
agree  Henri (X)
1 day 21 hrs
  -> Thank you
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

2 days 4 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
I don't get it! Why not 'Uber allen Gipfeln'?


Explanation:
On every mountain top
peace lies.
I gaze at the eternal peaks.
The sun's rays shine on me.

Now let me ask,
Why go such distances?
Loveliness lies so close.

john mason
Local time: 18:55
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