by
Henriette Wilhelmine Auguste von Schorn (1807 - 1869), as Henriette Nordheim
Ach, was ist Leben doch so schwer
Language: German (Deutsch)
Ach, was ist Leben doch so schwer,
[Wenn]1, was Du lieb hast, ist nicht mehr!
Aber sei still!
Weil Gott es will.
Ach, was ist Sterben doch so schwer,
[Wenn]1, was Du lieb hast, weint umher.
Aber sei still!
Weil Gott es will.
Ach, Leben, Sterben wär' nicht schwer,
Wenn unser Herz nur stille wär'!
Darum sei still!
Weil Gott es will.
Available sung texts: (what is this?)
• F. Liszt About the headline (FAQ)
View original text (without footnotes)
Confirmed with Zwei Menschenalter. Erinnerungen und Briefe, herausgegeben von Adelheid von Schorn, Berlin: S. Fischer Verlag, 1901, page 19
1 Liszt: "Wann"
Text 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 Arno Kleffel (1840 - 1913), "Sei still", op. 47 (Sechs Lieder im Volkston für S., A., T. und B.) no. 3, published 1890 [ SATB chorus a cappella ], Berlin, Stern [sung text not yet checked]
- by Eduard Lassen (1830 - 1904), "Sei stille", op. 71 (Sechs Lieder für 1 Singstimme mit Pianofortebegleitung) no. 2, published 1881 [ voice and piano ], Breslau, Hainauer [sung text not yet checked]
- by Franz (Ferenc) Liszt (1811 - 1886), "Sei still", S. 330 (1877-9), published 1879 [ voice and piano ] [sung text checked 1 time]
- by (Joseph) Joachim Raff (1822 - 1882), "Sei still", op. 173 (Acht Gesänge für 1 Singstimme mit Pianofortebegleitung) no. 8 (1868-70), published 1872 [ voice and piano ], Leipzig, Seitz [sung text not yet checked]
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- ENG English (Sharon Krebs) , copyright © 2011, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Research team for this page: Virginia Knight , Sharon Krebs
[Guest Editor] This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 12
Word count: 66
Ah, how hard it is to live
Language: English after the German (Deutsch)
Ah, how hard it is to live,
When those you love are no longer there!
But be still!
Because God wills it.
Ah, how hard it is to die,
When those you love are weeping all about you.
But be still!
Because God wills it.
Ah, living and dying would not be difficult
If our heart could only be still!
Therefore, be still!
Because God wills it.
About the headline (FAQ)
Translation of title "Sei stille" = "Be still"
Text Authorship:
- Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2011 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:
This text was added to the website: 2011-05-01
Line count: 12
Word count: 67
