Song to the moon (Or: Oh, Silvery moon)

Title: Song to the moon
Source: Opera Rusalka Op114 Act. I
Composer: Antonín Dvořák (8 September 1841 – 1 May 1904)
Release time: 1900

A rusalka is a water sprite from Slavic mythology or folklore, usually inhabiting a lake or river. 

The amicable old Spirit of the Lake, Jezibab, is enjoying the singing of the Wood Nymphs, when his daughter, Rusalka, sadly approaches him. She admits that she has fallen in love with a handsome prince. Yearning to know the bliss of union with him, she wishes to become human. Deeply saddened, the Spirit of the Lake consents to her request, and leaves. All alone, Rusalka sings this magnificent aria and shares the secrets of her longing to the moon. ​

The Czech libretto was written by the poet Jaroslav Kvapil (1868–1950) based on the fairy tales of Karel Jaromír Erben and Božena Němcová. Antonín Dvořák, who was always interested in Erben's stories, read the libretto and composed his opera quite rapidly, with the first draft begun on 22 April 1900 and completed by the end of November.

The most popular excerpt from Rusalka is the "Song to the Moon" ("Měsíčku na nebi hlubokém") from act 1, which is often performed in concert and recorded separately. 

Original libretto in Czech

Mesiku na nebi hlubokem
Svetlo tve daleko vidi,
Po svete bloudis sirokem,
Divas se v pribytky lidi.
Mesicku, postuj chvili
reckni mi, kde je muj mily
Rekni mu, stribmy mesicku,
me ze jej objima rame,
aby si alespon chvilicku
vzpomenul ve sneni na mne.

Zasvet mu do daleka,
rekni mu, rekni m kdo tu nan ceka!
O mneli duse lidska sni,
at'se tou vzpominkou vzbudi!
Mesicku, nezhasni, nezhasni!

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Lyrics translation in English version 1: (the most poetic version)

Moon in the dark heavens,
Your light shines far
You roam over the whole world
Gazing into human dwellings
Moon, linger for a moment
Tell me where my beloved is
Tell him, silvery moon, 
That my arms reach out to him
Hoping that for a brief moment
He will dream of me

Shine on him, wherever he is,
Tell him of the one who awaits him
If a human soul should dream of me,
May he remember me on awakening
Moon, do not fade away

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Lyrics translation in English version 2:

Oh Moon on the deep deep sky
Your light can see far
You roam all the vast world
Looking in the homes of people
Oh Moon, stay for a while
Tell me, tell me where my loved is
Tell him, oh silver Moon
That my arm embraces him
So he at least for a little while
Remembers me in his dreams
Give him light on his way
Tell him, oh tell him who is waiting for him here!
Is the human soul dreaming of me...

Let him awake by the memory!
Oh Moon, keep shining, keep shining!
​

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Lyrics translation in English version 3:

Moon, high and deep in the sky
Your light sees far,
You travel around the wide world,
and see into people's homes.
Moon, stand still a while
and tell me where is my dear.
Tell him, silvery moon,
that I am embracing him.
For at least momentarily
let him recall of dreaming of me.
Illuminate him far away,
and tell him, tell him who is waiting for him!
If his human soul is, in fact, dreaming of me,
may the memory awaken him!
Moonlight, don't disappear, disappear!

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Lyrics translation in Italian

Piccola luna, così alta nel cielo,
la tua luce mi trafigge da lontano,
tu erri per il vasto mondo,
tu vedi le cose degli umani.
Piccola luna, fermati un istante,
dimmi dov’è il mio amore!

E digli, piccola luna d’argento,
che per me tu l’avvolgi fra le tue braccia,
digli che, almeno per un istante,
egli si ricordi di me in sogno.
Rischiaralo, laggiù, molto lontano,
e digli quanto l’aspetto!

E se io apparissi in sogno,
a quest’anima umana,
forse si sveglierebbe con il ricordo!
Ah, piccola luna, non nasconderti,
​non nasconderti, non nasconderti!

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Lyrics translation in Spanish

Luna, que con tu luz iluminas todo...
desde laas profundidades del cielo
luna que vagas por la superficie de la tierra...
bañando con tu mirada
el hogar de los hombres

Luna que vagas por la superficie de la tierra...
bañando con tu mirada
el hogar de los hombres
luna, detente un momento...
y dime donde se encuentra mi amor
Luna, detente un moment...
y dime,
dime donde se encentra mi amor

Dile, luna plateada,
que es mi brazo el que lo abraza...
para que se acuerde de mi...
al memos un instante
para que se acuerde de mi
al memos un instante

Buscalo por el vasto mundo,
buscalo...
Y dile,
dile que lo espero aqui
Buscalo por el vasto mundo,
buscalo...
Y dile,
dile que lo espero aqui

Y si soy yo
con quien su alma sueña...
que este pensamiento
lo despierte

Luna,
No te vayas, no te vayas,
Luna!
No te vayas...

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