Der alte Sänger
Language: German (Deutsch)
Available translation(s): ENG FRE
Deine Harfe schwieg zu lange,
Blinder Alter. Laß sie tönen!
Stimm uns heiter mit Gesange.
Streng ist unsre Zeit.
Sing von deinen goldnen Tagen,
Voll von Spiel und von Behagen,
Die nun weit,
Die du zirptest spröden Schönen,
Liebesklagen,
Die wie Frühlingsträume gleiten,
Die zum Tanze leicht sich schürzen.
"Weh euch, weh, wenn ich sie wecke,
Meine Löwen, meine Saiten,
Stumm im staubigen Verstecke,
Wo sie kaum noch beben, gleißen,
Schwer von starrem Blut!
Weh, wenn sie sich auf euch stürzen,
Sprühend die verhaltne Glut,
Törichte Herzen, und euch zerreißen!"
Authorship:
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
Available translations, adaptations, and transliterations (if applicable):
- ENG English (John Glenn Paton) , title 1: "The old singer", copyright © 2009, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- FRE French (Français) (Pierre Mathé) , title 1: "Le vieux chanteur", copyright © 2011, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Researcher for this page: John Glenn Paton
[Guest Editor] This text was added to the website: 2009-07-20
Line count: 19
Word count: 90
The old singer
Language: English  after the German (Deutsch)
Your harp has been still for too long,
old blind man. Let it ring!
Make us merry with song.
Our times are rough.
Sing about your golden days,
full of play and comfort,
days now far away,
when you chirped to coy beauties
love's complaints,
which glide like spring dreams
or easily set one to dancing.
"Woe to you, woe, if I waken them,
my lions, my strings,
silent in the dusty hiding place
where they still barely tremble, glisten,
heavy with dried blood.
Woe, if they fall upon you,
scattering their suppressed heat,
foolish hearts, and tear you to pieces!"
Authorship:
- Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2009 by John Glenn Paton, (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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Based on:
This text was added to the website: 2009-07-20
Line count: 19
Word count: 101