SONGS ON THE DEATH OF CHILDREN
by Gustave Mahler
Thomas Hampson, baritone soloist  with The Vienna Phulharmonic  under the direction of Leonard Bernstein In honor and loving memory of the victims  of the senseless slaughter that took place  Friday, December 14, 2012
"If you have tears, prepare to shed them now ..." 

SONGS ON THE DEATH OF CHILDREN

1. Now the sun will rise as brightly 

Now the sun will rise as brightly

as if no misfortune had occurred in the night.

The misfortune has fallen on me alone.

The sun - it shines for everyone.

You must not keep the night inside you;

you must immerse it in eternal light.

A little light has been extinguished in my household;

Light of joy in the world, be welcome.

2. Now I see well why with such dark flames 

Now I see well why with such dark flames

your eyes sparkled so often.

O eyes, it was as if in one full glance

you could concentrate your entire power.

Yet I did not realize - because mists floated about me,

woven by blinding fate -

that this beam of light was ready to be sent home

to that place whence all beams come.

You would have told me with your brilliance:

we would gladly have stayed near you!

But it is refused by Fate.

Just look at us, for soon we will be far!

What to you are only eyes in these days -

in future nights shall be stars to us.

3. When your mother steps into the doorway  

When your mother steps into the doorway

and I turn my head

to see her,

my gaze does not alight

first on her face,

but on the place

nearer to the threshhold;

there, where 

your dear face would be

when you would step in

with bright joy,

as you used to, my little daughter.

When your mother steps

into the doorway

with the gleam of a candle,

it always seems to me as if

you came in as well,

slipping in behind her,

just as you used to come into the room!

O you, a father's cell,

Alas! too quickly 

you extinguish the gleam of joy!

4. Often I think that they have only stepped out 

Often I think that they have only stepped out -

and that soon they will reach home again.

The day is fair - O don't be afraid -

They are only taking a long walk.

Yes: they have only stepped out

and will now return home.

O don't be anxious - the day is fair.

They are only taking a walk to those hills.

They have simply gone on ahead:

they will not wish to return home.

We'll catch up to them on those hills.

In the sunshine the day is fair.

5. In this weather, in this windy storm

In this weather, in this windy storm

I would never have sent the children out;

They were carried outside -

I could say nothing about it!

In this weather, in this roaring storm,

I would never have let the children out.

I was afraid they had falllen ill,

but these thoughts are now idle.

 In this weather, in this cruel storm,

 I would never have let the children out;

 I was worried they would die the next day -

 but this is now no concern.

 In this weather, in this cruel storm,

 I would never have sent the children out;

 They were carried outside -

 I could say nothing about it!

 In this weather, in this roaring, cruel storm,

 they rest as they did in their mother's house:

 they are frightened by no storm,

 and are covered by the hand of God.

~ § ~

[NOTE: Translation from German to English by Emily Ezust 

of original German text by Friedrich Rueckert (1788-1866)]