Mozart (1756-1791) and friends In diesen heil'gen Hallen

Sarastro's second aria in the Magic Flute

for M.B., and for Ben, who did it first

Within these sacred grounds,
revenge and anger end:
A way to peace is found,
and injury can mend.
With friendship's kindness as our guide,
the soul's made glad and satisfied.
With friendship's kindness as our guide,
the soul's made glad and satisfied.

Amidst this band of brothers,
a loving wisdom lives:
All honor one another,
and freely we forgive.
For one deserving human birth,
there is no greater joy on earth.
For one deserving human birth,
there is no greater joy on earth.

—translation © 2001 by Leonard Cottrell.

*

In diesen heil'gen Hallen,
Kennt man die Rache nicht.
Und ist ein Mensch gefallen,
Führt Liebe ihn zur Pflicht.
Dann wandelt er an Freundes Hand
Vergnügt und froh ins beßre Land.
Dann wandelt er an Freundes Hand
Vergnügt und froh ins beßre Land.

In diesen heil'gen Mauern,
Wo Mensch den Menschen liebt,
Kann kein Verräter lauern,
Weil man dem Feind vergibt.
Wen solche Lehren nicht erfreun,
Verdienet nicht ein Mensch zu sein.
Wen solche Lehren nicht erfreun,
Verdienet nicht ein Mensch zu sein.

*

Schikaneder, who took credit for the
Magic Flute libretto, actually compiled it from material
supplied him by Carl Ludwig Gieseke, a member of his chorus,
and Mozart himself is likely to have reworked much of the
libretto including this aria, during composition.

I got the idea of translating the aria from Ben Cottrell,
who did it first. His English version of Sarastro's aria is
at his website. http://www.wolfhut.org/~tamino/magicflute/