by
Hermann Hesse (1877 - 1962)
Gebet
Language: German (Deutsch)
Available translation(s): ENG
Laß mich verzweifeln, Gott, an mir,
Doch nicht an dir!
Laß mich des Irrens ganzen Jammer schmecken,
Laß alles Leides Flammen an mir lecken,
Laß mich erleiden alle Schmach,
Hilf nicht mich erhalten,
Hilf nicht mich entfalten!
Doch wenn mir alles Ich zerbrach,
Dann zeige mir,
Daß du es warst,
Daß du die Flammen und das Leid gebarst,
Denn gern will ich verderben,
Will gerne sterben,
Doch sterben kann ich nur in dir.
Please note: this text, provided here for educational and research use, is in the public domain in Canada, but it may still be copyright in other legal jurisdictions. The LiederNet Archive makes no guarantee that the above text is public domain in your country. Please consult your country's copyright statutes or a qualified IP attorney to verify whether a certain text is in the public domain in your country or if downloading or distributing a copy constitutes fair use. The LiederNet Archive assumes no legal responsibility or liability for the copyright compliance of third parties.
Confirmed with Hermann Hesse, Sämtliche Werke, herausgegeben von Volker Michels, Band 10 Die Gedichte, bearbeitet von Peter Huber, Frankfurt am Main: Suhrkamp Verlag, 2002, page 280.
Authorship:
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
- by Hans-Hermann Kurig (1914 - 2002), "Gebet", 1950 [ high voice and piano ], from Zwei Gesänge für eine hohe Stimme nach Worten von Hermann Hesse, no. 2 [sung text checked 1 time]
- by Günter Raphael (1903 - 1960), "Gebet ", 1951 [ high voice and piano ], from Acht Gedichte von Hermann Hesse für hohe Stimme und Klavier, no. 2 [sung text checked 1 time]
- by Günter Raphael (1903 - 1960), "Gebet ", op. 72 no. 1 (<<1957) [ high voice and orchestra or piano ], from Acht Gedichte von Hermann Hesse für hohe Stimme und Orchester, no. 1 [sung text checked 1 time]
- by Franz Xaver Schlaud (1912 - 1967), "Gebet ", published 1951 [ four-part men's chorus a cappella ] [sung text checked 1 time]
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- ENG English (Sharon Krebs) , "Prayer", subtitle: "(1921)", copyright © 2018, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Research team for this page: Emily Ezust
[Administrator] , Sharon Krebs
[Guest Editor] This text was added to the website: 2009-05-20
Line count: 14
Word count: 73
Prayer
Language: English  after the German (Deutsch)
Let me despair, God, of myself,
But not of Thee!
Let me taste the entire misery of going astray,
Let the flames of all suffering touch me,
Let me suffer all disgrace,
Do not help to sustain me,
Do not help my development!
But when all I of mine crumbles,
Then show me,
That it was Thou,
That Thou gavest birth to the flames and the sorrow,
For gladly will I perish,
Will gladly die,
But I can only die in Thee.
Subtitle: "(1921)"
Authorship:
- Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2018 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 Hermann Hesse (1877 - 1962), "Gebet", subtitle: "(1921)", written 1921
This text was added to the website: 2018-05-30
Line count: 14
Word count: 82