Corrections · 7
Die Lorelei
I know there are a lot of translations available, but I wanted to put this up. (Allie, tell me if there are any major differences in our readings when or if you get a chance).
Ich weiß nicht, was soll es bedeuten,
I know not, what it ought to mean
Daß ich so traurig bin,
That I so sad am
Ein Märchen aus uralten Zeiten,
A Fairy-tale out of a very old time
Das kommt mir nicht aus dem Sinn.
That comes to me not out of the senses
That I cannot keep out of my mind.
["Sinn" can mean a lot of things: "etwas im Sinn haben" = have some intention, have something on your mind. For the meaning "senses" it's usually plural ("die Sinne")]
Die Luft ist kühl und es dunkelt,
The air is cool and it darkens
Und ruhig fließt der Rhein;
And quiet flows the Rhine
Der Gipfel des Berges funkelt,
The peaks of the mountain sparkles
Im Abendsonnenschein
In evening sunshine
Die schönste Jungfrau sitzet
The most beautiful young woman sits
Dort oben wunderbar,
There on top wonderful,
Ihr gold'nes Geschmeide blitzet,
Her golden jewels flash
Sie kämmt ihr goldenes Haar,
She comebs her golden hair
Sie kämmt es mit goldenem Kamme,
She combs [ah.] it with a golden comb
Und singt ein Lied dabei;
And sings a song nearby at the same time [while she is combing it]
Das hat eine wundersame,
That has a miraculous
Gewalt'ge Melodei.
Powerful melody
Den Schiffer im kleinen Schiffe,
The sailor on a small ship
Ergreift es mit wildem Weh;
Its seized with wild drift heart-ache
Er schaut nicht die Felsenriffe,
He shows sees not the rock reefs [rocky reefs?]
Er schaut nur hinauf in die Höh'.
He shows only looks up in the height [to the place where beautiful Lorelei is sitting. "Hinauf" and "in die Höhe" means the same]
Ich glaube, die Wellen verschlingen
I believe, the waves will devour
Am Ende Schiffer und Kahn,
On ends At the end Sailor and Boat
Und das hat mit ihrem Singen,
And with that has caused with her singing
Die Loreley getan.
The Loreley is done
[I'm not a native speaker of English, so I'm sure one can come up with a closer translation that keeps the intended meaning]
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