by Hermann Hesse (1877 - 1962)
Translation © by Pierre Mathé

Leg mir aufs Haar
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Our translations:  ENG FRE
Leg mir aufs Haar
Die Hand; schwer ist mein Haupt,
Was meine Jugend war,
Hast du geraubt.

Unwiederbringlich ist dahin
Der Jugend Glanz, der Freude Born,
Der mir so unerschöpflich golden schien,
Und überblieben Weh und Zorn
Und Nächte, Nächte ohne End,
In denen wild und fieberheiß
Der alten Liebeslüste Kreis
Mein waches Träumen wund durchrennt.

Nur noch in Stunden seltner Rast
Tritt manchmal meine Jugend her
Zu mir, ein scheuer, blasser Gast,
Und stöhnt, und macht das Herz mir schwer ...

Leg mir aufs Haar
Die Hand; schwer ist mein Haupt.
Was meine Jugend war,
Hast du geraubt.

About the headline (FAQ)

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, pages 92-93.


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):

    [ None yet in the database ]

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

  • ENG English (Sharon Krebs) , copyright © 2018, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
  • FRE French (Français) (Pierre Mathé) , no title, copyright © 2011, (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: 2009-06-02
Line count: 20
Word count: 98

Pose ta main sur mes cheveux
Language: French (Français)  after the German (Deutsch) 
Pose ta main sur mes cheveux ;
Ma tête est lourde ?
Tu as volé
Ce qu'était ma jeunesse.

Disparu irrémédiablement
L'éclat de la jeunesse, la source de joie,
Qui me semblait si inépuisable,
Et il reste douleur et colère
Et des nuits, des nuits sans fin
Dans lesquelles, avec violence et fièvre,
La ronde de mes anciens plaisirs amoureux
Parcourt et blesse mon rêve éveillé.

Ce n'est plus qu'aux rares heures de repos
Que parfois se manifeste à moi ma jeunesse,
Hôte hagard et livide,
Qui gémit et me fait le cœur lourd ...

Pose ta main sur mes cheveux ;
Ma tête est lourde ?
Tu as volé
Ce qu'était ma jeunesse.

About the headline (FAQ)

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from German (Deutsch) to French (Français) copyright © 2011 by Pierre Mathé, (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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This text was added to the website: 2011-12-21
Line count: 20
Word count: 109