Other Translations by Jeffrey Benton avaliable at WWW.BTInternet.Com/~J.Benton
1. GOOD NIGHT
I came here as a stranger,
A stranger I depart.
I came when may was blossoming
And Joy was in my heart.
I met a girl who spoke of love,
Our wedding day was planned.
Her mother gave her blessing,
I soon would take her hand.
But now the sky is overcast,
Deep snow lies on the land.
I cannot choose the time to leave,
My journey must be now.
And though I walk in darkness.
I'll find my way somehow.
The moon has cast my shadow.
Together we will go.
The tracks of deer will guide my way
Across the fields of snow.
Why need I stay here longer.
Why should I bear their spite?
What care I for their howling dogs
That guard their gates at night.
Love wanders where it pleases.
God made it in his sight.
It breaks the heart it seizes.
And so my love, goodnight.
I'11 not disturb your dreaming.
Why spoil a sleep so pure.
you will not hear my leaving,
I’ll softly close the door.
And on your gate I'll write 'Goodnight'
As I am passing through.
So when you chance to see it
You'll know I thought of you.
2. THE WEATHER VANE
The wind is playing with the weather vane
Over the house where my sweetheart lives.
And so it seems in my confusion
It hisses and mocks this fugitive.
If I had noticed the wanting sooner.
And heeded the sign of the weathervane,
Then I would never have sought the love
Of the faithless woman who caused this pain.
The wind is playing with hearts inside the house,
As on the roof, but not so loud.
What do they care about my grieving.
Their daughter is a wealthy bride.
3. FROZEN TEARDROPS
I feel the teardrops freezing
As they fall from my eyes.
How long I had been weeping
I did not realise.
Oh teardrops. my own teardrops
How can you be so cool?
How could you freeze so quickly
Like early morning dew?
And yet you spring within me,
So burning hot you rise.
As if to melt the winter,
With all its snow and ice.
4. NUMBNESS
I search the snow so vainly,
No footprints can be seen
Where hand in hand we wandered
In meadows flesh and green.
I'm searching for her footprints,
But no trace can I find
Where arm in arm we roamed the fields
When love was fresh and blind.
I'11 kiss the frozen meadows,
To pierce the ice and snow
With all my burning teardrops,
And see the earth below.
I long, to kiss the meadows
And melt the ice and snow
With all my burning teardrops,
To see the earth, the earth below.
Where can I find a flower?
Where are the fields of green?
The flowers all have died away
No blade of grass is seen.
Can I then find no keepsake
That I can take from here?
When all my sorrows leave me
Who will speak to me of her?
I need to find a keepsake
To take away from here.
When all my pain is ended
Who then will speak of her?
My heart to ice is frozen
And cold there she is laid.
So thaw my heart, Oh thaw again
And then her image will quickly fade.
5. THE LINDEN TREE
A linden tree is standing
beside a flowing stream.
and here beneath its branches
I dreamed my sweetest dream.
1 carved her name into its bark,
And loving words so dear.
And in my joy and sorrow
It always drew me here.
and now I must pass by it
Pass by in deepest night.
And even in the darkness
I keep it from my sight.
I hear its branches rustle
And call as I go past
'Come here to me my brother
And find your peace at last'.
The bitter wind is whistling
So cold into my face.
My hat flies off behind me.
I dare not slow my pace.
I've walked for many hours now,
And still its call I hear.
The rustling of its branches,
you'll find a haven here'.
6. RUSHING WATER
From my eyes the tears are falling,
Tears I can no more restrain.
And the snow engulfs my anguish,
Thirstily drinks my burning pain.
When the grass again is growing
And the wind is warm once more,
Then the ice will soon be flowing
And the snow will start to thaw.
Snow you know of my longing,
where you go will you not say!
If you follow my teardrops.
Soon the stream will take you away.
To the town you will soon be turning,
winding through each street and close.
When you feel my tears are burning,
there is my beloved's house.
7. BY THE STREAM
Are you the same bright river
That gaily rushed along',
How still you are and silent,
No greeting in your song.
You are no longer rushing
your surface hard and sealed.
How cold you lie, unmoving,
Outstretched across the field.
1'11 cut into, your surface
The name 1 can't forget.
The name of my beloved
The day and hour we met.
That day of our first meeting,
The day we had to part.
Her mine, and time, then round it all
1'11 carve a broken heart
My heart within this river
you see yourself so well.
Beneath Its Icy cover
The raging torrents swell.
8. BACKWARD GLANCE
I wonder why my feet are burring
Although I walk on ice and snow.
I want my breath to cease within me
Until the roofs no longer show.
I bruise myself on every boulder.
The town i leave is still too close.
The crows were throwing snow and hailstones
Upon my head from every house.
How different were you at our meeting.
Oh fickle town you welcomed me.
The larks and nightingales were singing
Before your windows cheerfully.
The breeze through linden flowers blowing.
The clear streams rushing round each bend
And. ah, the maiden’s eyes were glowing.
It's then you lost your heart my friend. -
I think of days before we parted,
I'm longing to look back once mate,
To stumble back to where r started
And stand again before her door.
9. WILLO-THE-WISP
In the deepest rocky cavern
A will-o-the-wisp has lured me there.
How I’ll ever find my way now,
In my heart I do not care.
I'm so used to being lost now,
Every pathway has its aims.
All our joys and all our sorrows,
All are will-o-the-wisp's own games.
Through the mountain streams dry bed I walk,
turning every winding bend.
Every stream must reach the ocean,
Every sorrow has its end.
10. REST
I'm now aware how tired I am
As I lie down so weary.
The wandering kept me awake
On pathways cold and dreary.
And yet my feet did not seek rest
To stand in freezing weather.
The raging storm upon my back
Just helped to drive me further.
I've found a charcoal burner's hut
The weary traveller uses.
But yet my aching limbs rest not
From all my burning bruises.
you too, my heart in strife and storm,
So wild and so unyielding.
Within its stillness feel the serpent writhe.
Its sting so fiercely burning.
11. DREAM OF SPRING
I dreamt of the brightest flowers
That bloom in the warmth of the spring.
I dreamt of the green meadows
Where merry birds noisily sing.
And then the cocks were crowing.
I woke to end my dream.
And in the freezing darkness
I heard the ravens scream.
But on the frosty window
Who painted the leafy spray?
You laugh perhaps at the dreamer
For seeing of flowers of May.
For dreaming of flowers of May.
I dreamt of love and loving,
One girl of such loveliness.
I dreamt of hearts and kisses,
Of joy and happiness.
And then the cocks were crowing.
My heart awoke again.
1 sat alone in silence
And tried to recall my dream.
My eyelids close in slumber,
My heart still beats so warm.
And when the green leaves shade the window
Shall I hold my love in my arms?
Will she be once more in my arms?
12. SOLITUDE
How I like a cloud above me
Which sails through clear blue skies.
When in the tops of pine trees
A gentle breeze will rise.
So like that cloud I wander
With weary trudging feet.
Through life that’s bright and cheerful
Alone, no-one to greet.
Ah, why a day so peaceful?
Ah why a world so fresh?
When all the storms were raging,
I never knew such wretchedness.
13. THE MAIL COACH
From the highway hear the post horn sound.
What makes you suddenly leap and pound,
my heart?
The coach for me no note will bring.
What urged you then to leap and sing,
my heart?
Ah yes, the mail coach leaves from the town,
Where once the sweetest love I'd known
Perhaps to look back once again,
And ask the question ‘Who’s to blame?’,
My heart
14. THE GREY HEAD
A fleeting mist with ghostly shine
Upon my hair alighted
If I was old before my time
Then I would be delighted
But soon the host began to thaw.
Black hair returned to haunt me.
I shuddered at my youth once more.
My grave how long you taunt me.
From setting sun to morning light
So many heads have turned to grey.
Who'd think that mine has not turned white
On all this winter's journey.
15. THE CROW
I was followed by a crow,
From the village trailing.
All day flying too and fro.
Round my head still sailing
Crow. Fascinating crow.
Endlessly you tease me.
Thinking of the prey below.
Watching when to seize me.
Now I have not far to go.
Carry me no more my stave.
Crow. Oh crow. Then show to me
Faith until the grave.
16. THE LAST HOPE
Here and there on frozen branches
Autumn leaves can still be seen.
And I stand in silence, thinking,
Watching them as in a dream.
At a single leaf I'm gazing.
On it all my hopes are pinned.
And I tremble while I'm watching
As it's played with by the wind.
If it falls it soon will perish.
With it fail my hopes as well.
So I fall on hopes I cherish.
Weep, weep. Oh weep on my hope's grave.
17. IN THE VILLAGE
The watchdogs are barking.
Their chain-links are rattling,
And folk are asleep,
In their beds they are settling.
Dreaming of having things they're not able.
Finding their pleasures in both good and evil.
And in the morning all dreams have vanished.
Ah well, Ah well,
Their dreams have been full of pleasure.
And hoping, and hoping,
That some dreams they may still treasure.
And maybe a new dream
Remains on their pillows,
Upon their pillows.
Drive me away
As watch you are keeping.
Give me no rest
In the hours of sleeping.
My dreams are ended
I need them no longer.
18. THE STORMY MORNING
How fierce the storm is tending
The dark grey clouds on high.
The tattered clouds ace swirling
Around the weary sky.
And red the sky is flaming
Through clouds in flying haste.
This really is a morning
That's suited to my taste.
And in the sky is painted
My image clear and bold.
It's nothing but the winter.
The winter wild and cold
19. ILLUSION
I see a friendly dancing light.
I follow, keeping it in sight.
I'll follow it so willingly,
Although it tempts me from my way.
Ah they who know my wretched plight
Will gladly fall for dazzling light.
Where ends the night, and cold and fear,
And shows a house with warmth and cheer,
And someone waiting at the door.
But it's illusion just once more.
20. THE SIGNPOST
Why do I avoid the pathways
which the other travellers use?
It's the snow-capped hills I'm seeking.
It's the hidden paths I choose.
I have done no wrong to others,
Why should I then shun mankind?
So what is this foolish longing
Driving me to distant land?
Signposts to the towns are pointing,
Shall I go where they suggest?
Shall I wander on regardless,
without rest, yet seeking rest?
I see only one clear signpost
Pointing to my lonely track.
It's the road which I must travel
From which no-one can come back.
21. THE INN
Into a silent graveyard
My journey now has led
So here I will take refuge
And lay my weary head.
The funeral wreaths might well be
The tavern's welcome signs,
Inviting weary travellers
Into its cool confines.
Has every room been taken?
Are all already used?
With weariness I'm sinking.
How painfully I'm bruised.
Oh cruel and heartless tavern
Why do you drive me off?
Then onward, only onward,
My true and trusty staff.
22. COURAGE
Snow is flying in my face.
I just shake it from me.
When my heart cries in distress
I just sing more brightly.
Do not hear my heart's lament,
Close your ears to whining.
Do not feel its discontent.
Fools are always pining
Stride then gaily through the world
Braving wind and weather.
If there are no Gods on earth,
Gods we will be together.
23. THE MOCK SUNS
I saw three suns in the heaven's haze.
I stared at them with a steady gaze.
They also stayed so still above,
As if from me they would not move.
Ah, my own suns you cannot be.
At others stare, but not at me.
Yes, I had three not long since past.
Now one remains, the best two lost.
If only now the third would flee.
The darkness would be best for me.
24. THE ORGAN GRINDER
Just beyond the town
An organ grinder stands.
And he turns the handle
With his frozen hands.
Barefoot in the snow
He shuffles on his way.
Not a single penny
In his empty tray.
No-one wants to hear him,
No-one looks his way.
Dogs are snarling round him,
No heed does he pay.
He lets it happen
As it always will.
He just goes on turning,
Never is he still
Curious old fellow,
Shall I go along?
will you grind your organ
Only to my song?