Traum der eig'nen Tage

Traum der eig'nen Tage,
  Die nun ferne sind,
Tochter meiner Tochter,
  Du mein süßes Kind,
Nimm, bevor die Müde
  Deckt das Leichentuch,
Nimm ins frische Leben
  Meinen Segensspruch. 

Siehst mich grau von Haaren,
  Abgezehrt und bleich,
Bin, wie du, gewesen
  Jung und wonnereich,
Liebte, so wie du [liebest]1,
  Ward, wie du, auch Braut,
Und auch du wirst altern,
  So wie ich ergraut. 
 
Laß die Zeit im Fluge
  Wandeln fort und fort,
Nur beständig wahre
  Deines Busens Hort;
Hab' ich's einst gesprochen,
  Nehm' ich's nicht zurück:
Glück ist nur die Liebe,
  Liebe nur ist Glück. 
 
Als ich, den ich liebte,
  In das Grab gelegt,
Hab' ich meine Liebe
  Treu in mir gehegt;
War mein Herz gebrochen,
  Blieb mir fest der Muth,
Und des Alters Asche
  Wahrt die heil'ge Gluth. 
 
Nimm, bevor die Müde
  Deckt das Leichentuch,
Nimm ins frische Leben
  Meinen Segensspruch:
Muß das Herz dir brechen,
  Bleibe fest dein Muth,
Sei der Schmerz der Liebe
  Dann dein höchstes Gut.

Translation(s): ENG FRE

List of language codes

About the headline (FAQ)

Confirmed with Gedichte von Adelbert von Chamisso, Neunzehnte Auflage (19th edition), Berlin, Weidmannsche Buchhandlung, 1869, pages 16-17.

Authorship

• by Adelbert von Chamisso (1781 - 1838), no title, appears in Lieder und lyrisch epische Gedichte, in Frauen-Liebe und Leben, no. 9 [ 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 Elizabeth R. Austin (b. 1938), "Traum der eignen Tage", 1999 [mezzo-soprano or soprano and piano], from Frauenliebe und -leben, no. 6. [ sung text not verified ]
• by Franz Dannehl (1870 - 1947), "Traum der eignen Tage", op. 9, published 1893 [voice and piano], Weimar, Weissbach [ sung text not verified ]
• by Johann Karl Gottfried Loewe (1796 - 1869), "Traum der eignen Tage", op. 60 no. 9 (1836), from Frauenliebe, Liederkranz von Chamisso, no. 9. [ sung text verified 1 time]
• by Sigismund Thalberg (1812 - 1871), "Segen der Grossmutter", op. 24 (Sechs deutsche Lieder, Fünftes Heft) no. 6. [voice and piano] [ sung text not verified ]

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

• ENG English (Sharon Krebs) , no title, copyright ©, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
• FRE French (Français) (Pierre Mathé) , copyright © 2010, (re)printed on this website with kind permission

Text added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.

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Dream of my own pastdays

Dream of my own [past] days,
  That are now distant,
Daughter of my daughter,
  You, my sweet child,
Take, before the weary one
  Is covered by the shroud,
Take into your dew-fresh life
  My blessing.
 
You see me grey of hair,
  Haggard and pale,
Like you, I was once
  Young and delightful,
I loved, as you love,
  Like you, I was a bride,
And you too shall age,
  As I have become grey.
 
Let time in haste
  March on and on,
Only guard abidingly
  The treasure of your bosom;
What once I said,
  I do not take it back:
Happiness is only love,
  Only love is happiness.
 
When him whom I loved
  I laid into the grave,
I kept my love
  Faithfully guarded within myself;
Though my heart was broken,
  My courage remained strong,
And the ashes of old age
  Still cherish the holy flame.
 
Take, before the weary one
  Is covered by the shroud,
Take into your dew-fresh life
  My blessing:
If your heart must break
  May your courage remain steadfast,
May the pain of love
  Then be your greatest treasure.

IMPORTANT NOTE: The material directly above is protected by copyright and appears here by special permission. If you wish to copy it and distribute it, you must obtain permission or you will be breaking the law. Once you have permission, you must give credit to the author and display the copyright symbol ©. Copyright infringement is a criminal offense under international law.

About the headline (FAQ)

Authorship

• Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 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 at lieder dot net)
  
  
  

• a text in German (Deutsch) by Adelbert von Chamisso (1781 - 1838), no title, appears in Lieder und lyrisch epische Gedichte, in Frauen-Liebe und Leben, no. 9 FRE
• This text was set to music by the following composer(s): Elizabeth R. Austin, Franz Dannehl, Johann Karl Gottfried Loewe, Sigismund Thalberg. Go to the text.

Text added to the website: 2015-04-10 00:00:00.
Last modified: 2015-04-10 18:34:44
Line count: 40
Word count: 182