Um Mitternacht bin ich erwacht

[363]Friedrich Rückert

trans. by Catherine Winkworth, 1869

At dead of night

Sleep took her flight.

I gazed abroad, no star of all the crowds the clouds

That people heaven, was smiling through

To cheer my sight

That dreary night.

At dead of night

I scaled the height

Of giddy question o'er our mortal lot;

My searchings found no answer, brought me not

One ray of light

In that deep night.

At dead of night

In still affright

I turned and listened to my throbbing heart;

One pulse of pain alone, whose ancient smart

Had dimmed sweet light,

Beat there that night.

At dead of night

I fought the fight

Humanity, of all thy pain and woes;

My strength could not decide it, and my foes

O'erwhelmed me quite

At dead of night.

At dead of night

All power and might

I yielded, Lord of life and death, to Thee,

And learnt Thou watchedst with me, and that we

Are in Thy sight

In deepest night!