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Froh der süßen Augenweide Wallen wir auf grüner Flur, Unser Priestertum ist Freude, Unser Tempel die Natur; Heute soll kein Auge trübe, Sorge nicht hienieden sein! Jedes Wesen soll der Liebe Frei und froh, wie wir, sich freun! Höhnt im Stolze, Schwestern, Brüder! Höhnt der scheuen Knechte Tand! Jubelt kühn das Lied der Lieder, Festgeschlungen Hand und Hand! Steigt hinauf [am]1 Rebenhügel, Blickt hinab ins weite Tal! Überall der Liebe Flügel, Hold und herrlich überall! Liebe bringt zu jungen Rosen Morgentau [von]2 hoher Luft, Lehrt die warmen Lüfte kosen In der Maienblumen Duft; Um die Orione leitet Sie die treuen Erden her, Folgsam ihrem Winke, gleitet Jeder Strom in‘s weite Meer; An die wilden Berge reihet Sie die sanften Täler an, Die entbrannte Sonn' erfreuet Sie im stillen Ozean; Siehe! mit der Erde gattet Sich des Himmels [heil’ge]3 Lust. Von den Wettern überschattet Bebt entzückt der Mutter Brust. Liebe wallt durch Ozeane, Höhnt der dürren Wüste Sand, Blutet an der Siegesfahne Jauchzend für das Vaterland; Liebe trümmert Felsen nieder, Zaubert Paradiese hin -- Lächelnd kehrt die Unschuld wieder, Göttlichere Lenze blüh'n. Mächtig durch die Liebe, winden Von der Fessel wir uns los, Und die trunknen Geister schwinden Zu den Sternen, frei und groß! Unter Schwur und Kuß vergessen Wir die träge Flut der Zeit, Und die Seele naht vermessen Deiner Lust, Unendlichkeit!
Confirmed with Friedrich Hölderlin, Sämtliche Gedichte und Hyperion, Frankfurt am Main & Leipzig: Insel Verlag, 1999, pages 141-143.
1 Strauss: “zum”
2 Strauss: “aus”
3 Strauss: “höchste”
Authorship:
- by Friedrich Hölderlin (1770 - 1843), "Hymne an die Liebe" [author's text checked 1 time against a primary source]
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
- by Richard Georg Strauss (1864 - 1949), "Hymne an die Liebe", op. 71 no. 1 (1921) [ voice and piano ], from Drei Hymnen von Friedrich Hölderlin, no. 1 [sung text checked 1 time]
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- CAT Catalan (Català) (Salvador Pila) , "Himne a l'amor", copyright © 2019, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- ENG English (Sharon Krebs) , "Hymn to Love", copyright © 2014, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- FRE French (Français) (Guy Laffaille) , "Hymne à l'amour", copyright © 2014, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Researcher for this page: Sharon Krebs [Guest Editor]
This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 48
Word count: 221
Delighting in the sweet feast for our eyes, We wander upon the green meadow, Our priesthood is joy, Our temple is nature; Today no eye shall be clouded, There shall be no anxiety here below! Like us, every creature shall Freely and joyfully delight in love! Sneer in pride, sisters, brothers! Sneer at the trumpery of shy servants! Boldly sing the song of songs with rejoicing, Tightly entwined hand with hand! Climb upwards [along]1 the vine-clad hills, Gaze down into the wide valley! Everywhere the wings of love, Beautiful and glorious everywhere! Love brings to the young rose Morning dew from the lofty air. It teaches the warm breezes to caress In the scents of the flowers of May; [Love] guides the faithful worlds About the constellations; Obedient to [Love’s] cue, Every river flows into the broad sea; [Love] arrays the gentle valleys Up against the wild mountains, [Love] gratifies the flaming sun In the quiet ocean; See! the [holy]2 joy of heaven Pairs itself with the earth. Overshadowed by the elements The mother’s breast trembles rapturously. Love wanders through oceans, Scorns the arid sand of the deserts, Bleeds, rejoicing, at the flag of victory For the homeland; Love crumbles rocks to rubble, Conjures up many a paradise -- Smilingly innocence returns, More divine springtimes bloom. Through love, we mightily Disentangle ourselves from our fetters, And the enraptured spirits fade away, Rising to the stars, free and great! Among vows and kisses we forget The languid flowing of time, And impudently the soul approaches Your joy, Infinity!
1 Strauss: “to”
2 Strauss: “highest”
Authorship:
- Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2014 by Sharon Krebs, (re)printed on this website with kind permission. To reprint and distribute this author's work for concert programs, CD booklets, etc., you may ask the copyright-holder(s) directly or ask us; we are authorized to grant permission on their behalf. Please provide the translator's name when contacting us.
Contact: licenses@email.lieder.example.net
Based on:
- a text in German (Deutsch) by Friedrich Hölderlin (1770 - 1843), "Hymne an die Liebe"
This text was added to the website: 2014-06-23
Line count: 48
Word count: 256