Ich denke Dein, in heil'ger Abendstille

Ich denke Dein, [in heil'ger Abendstille]1
Erscheinest Du vor mir im [Dämmerlicht]2;
Gebrochen ist des Herzens fester Wille,
Verlieren konnt' ich Dich! -- vergessen nicht.
 
Ich denke Dein; -- doch hass' ich ihn noch immer,
Der um mein schönstes Glück mich trog:
Vergangenheit strahlt mir wie Rosenschimmer,
Der vor der grausen Finsterniß entflog.
 
Ich denke Dein seit jenem Schmerz-Momente,
Als [mir Dein Mund]3 den letzten Kuß gebracht:
[Ich ahn'te nicht]4 solch schauervolles Ende;
An [treuer Brust zu ruh'n hatt']5 ich gedacht.
 
Ich denke Dein; -- nie kann ich von Dir lassen,
Umschlinget Dich auch fremder Liebe Band:
Des Dolches Griff würd' ich mit Wonne fassen,
Käm er mir nur aus Emma's theurer Hand.
 
Und fänd' ich drauf die süßen Trostesworte:
"Ich hab' an Dich, o Freund, manchmahl [sic] gedacht!" --
Dann würd' ein Himmelsthor des Todes Pforte,
Das freudig winkt aus meines Grabes Nacht.
 
Dein denkend würd' ich in die Brust ihn senken,
Den letzten Trost, den vielgeliebten Stahl;
Und dankbar noch im Sterben Der gedenken,
Die mich durch ihn befreit von jeder Qual.

Translation(s): ENG

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About the headline (FAQ)

Confirmed with Fortuna. Taschenbuch des kais. kön. privil. Josephstädter Theaters für das Jahr 1824, von Franz Xaver Told, Wien: Gedruckt bey Leopold Grund, [1824], page 157-158.

Authorship

• by Franz Xaver Told (1792 - 1849), "An Emma" [ author's text checked 1 time]

Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive)

• by Josephine Lang (1815 - 1880), "An --", 1838, stanzas 1,3,2 [voice and piano], note: one manuscript has no title; unpublished [ sung text verified 1 time]

Available translations, adaptations, and transliterations (if applicable):

• ENG English (Sharon Krebs) , copyright © 2017, (re)printed on this website with kind permission

Text added to the website: 2017-01-29.
Last modified: 2017-01-29 21:55:31
Line count: 24
Word count: 170

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I think of you, in the holy stillness of...

I think of you, in the holy [stillness]1 of evening
You appear before me in the twilight;
My heart’s firm resolve is broken,
I was able to lose you! -- not to forget you.
 
I think of you; -- but I still hate him
Who by deception deprived me of my most beautiful joy;
The past shines for me like a shimmer of roses
That flew away before the horrible darkness.
 
I think of you since that painful moment
When [your lips gave me the last kiss:]2
I did not anticipate such a horrible ending;
I had expected to rest upon [a faithful]3 bosom.
 
I think of you; -- never can I relinquish you,
Even if you were entwined in the bonds of another love:
With joy would I grasp the handle of a dagger,
If only it were given me by Emma’s dear hand.
 
And if I found upon it the sweet words of comfort:
"I have, oh friend, sometimes thought of you!" --
Then the gateway of death would become a gate to heaven,
That beckons joyously from the darkness of my grave.
 
Thinking of you, I would sink the dagger into my breast,
The last comfort, the much-beloved blade;
And in death yet, gratefully think of Her,
Who through the dagger freed me from every agony.

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About the headline (FAQ)

Translated titles: "An --" = "To --"
"An Emma" = "To Emma"

Authorship

• Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2017 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.
  
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• a text in German (Deutsch) by Franz Xaver Told (1792 - 1849), "An Emma"
• This text was set to music by the following composer(s): Josephine Lang. Go to the text.

Text added to the website: 2017-01-29.
Last modified: 2017-01-30 12:47:40
Line count: 24
Word count: 215