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Wer es wüßte, wer es dächte, Was der Seele Frieden gibt, -- Wer mir's zeigte, wer mir's brächte, Ewig sollt' er sein geliebt! Ach, sie kommen und sie gehen, Wechselnd fühl' ich Leid und Lust; Aber einsam [muß]1 ich stehen Mit dem Gott in meiner Brust. Immer hör' ich's vor mir singen, Wie ein halbverstandnes Wort; Mit den süßen Tönen dringen [Will]2 die ganze Seele fort. Wie ein Kind, das heimwärts gehet Und den Weg nicht findet aus, -- Doch ein Duft schon lieblich wehet Um das Kind vom Vaterhaus. Und so geh' nur muthig immer! Bis die volle Sonne steigt, Freue dich am bunten Schimmer, Sei dem holden Wahn geneigt! Einer gehet und der Andre Mit dir nach dem gleichen Stern. Kleine stille Schaar, -- so wandre Süß vertraut, den Menschen fern!
J. Lang sets stanzas 1-3
About the headline (FAQ)
View original text (without footnotes)Confirmed with C. Reinhold, Gedichte, Stuttgart: Carl Mäcken, 1853, pages 97-98. First published in the periodical Morgenblatt, August 13, 1841 (No. 193). Note: Lang was working with a text that Köstlin had copied out for her (Christian Reinhold Köstlin’s poetry manuscripts, Cod.hist. 4º 437, Fasz. 10a Nr. 1, poem [1], Württembergische Landesbibliothek, Stuttgart, Germany); that copy matches footnote 1 below but not footnote 2.
Note for stanza 3, line 4, word 1: in Lang's setting, the word reverts to "Will" in the repeat.
1 Lang: "bleib'"2 Lang: "möcht'"
Text Authorship:
- by Christian Reinhold (1813 - 1856), "Wer es wüßte", written 1840, appears in Gedichte, in Lieder und vermischte Gedichte, first published 1841 [author's text checked 1 time against a primary source]
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
- by Josephine Lang (1815 - 1880), "Lied", 1840, published 2008, stanzas 1-3 [ voice and piano ], München: Strube Verlag [sung text checked 1 time]
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- ENG English (Sharon Krebs) , "Song", copyright © 2009, (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: 2009-03-19
Line count: 24
Word count: 133
Whoever would know, whoever would imagine What gives the soul peace, Whoever would show it to me, whoever would bring it to me Should be eternally beloved. Ah, they come and they go, Alternately I feel pain and joy, But I [must remain]1 standing alone With the god in my bosom. I always hear it singing before me, Like a half-understood word; With the sweet sounds My entire soul wishes to press on to other realms, Like a child that travels homeward And cannot discern the way,- Yet a scent from the father's house Already wafts deliciously about the child. And therefore walk on courageously! Until the full sun rises, Delight in the colourful shimmering, Be open to the lovely illusion! A few people here and there Walk with you toward the same star, Small, silent band - wander thus, In sweet companionship, far from [other] mortals!
1 Lang: "remain"
Text Authorship:
- Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2009 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.
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Based on:
- a text in German (Deutsch) by Christian Reinhold (1813 - 1856), "Wer es wüßte", written 1840, appears in Gedichte, in Lieder und vermischte Gedichte, first published 1841
This text was added to the website: 2009-03-19
Line count: 24
Word count: 148