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In der Hand die Himmelsgabe schwebt die Liebe sanft hernieder, und ihr rosiges Gefieder deckt das wunde Herz; aber aus dem stillen Grabe steigt sie himmelwärts. Wonne, Sehnsucht und Entzücken reichet sie mit sanften Händen, auch den Kummer muß sie spenden, Trennung, Qual und Schmerz; ach! die Rose, die wir pflücken, drückt den Dorn ins Herz. Fühllos auf dem Göttersitze knickt die Zeit die holde Rose, und sie sinkt, die Blüthenlose, welk und hingestreut -- doch des Dornes scharfe Spitze schmerzt für Ewigkeit. Schwebe hin, du Himmelsgabe, nur für meine süßen Lieder samml' ich deine Blüthen wieder, nicht für dieses Herz; nur im finstern öden Grabe heilet Liebesschmerz.
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View text with all available footnotesConfirmed with Sämtliche Schriften von A. von Tromlitz, Zweite Sammlung, Siebenundzwanzigstes Bändchen, Das Carnaval. Ritter Franz, Dresden und Leipzig: in der Arnoldischen Buchhandlung, 1836, pages 169-170.
Text Authorship:
- by Karl August Friedrich von Witzleben (1773 - 1839), as A. v. Tromlitz, no title, appears in Ritter Franz, first published 1822 [author's text checked 2 times against a primary source]
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Researcher for this page: Sharon Krebs [Senior Associate Editor]
This text was added to the website: 2006-06-25
Line count: 24
Word count: 108
With the heavenly gift in its hand, Love softly wafts down, and its rosy plumage covers the wounded heart; but from the quiet grave Love rises towards heaven. Joy, longing, and rapture it presents with gentle hands, it must also mete out suffering, separation, agony, and pain; ah! the rose that we pick presses a thorn into our heart. On the throne of the gods Time unfeelingly breaks the lovely rose, and it sinks, the bloomless one, wilted and scattered -- but the sharp point of the thorn pains us for all eternity. Float away, you heavenly gift, only for my sweet songs do I again collect your blossoms, not for this heart of mine; only in the dark, desolate grave shall love's pain heal.
Revised July 25, 2021
Text Authorship:
- Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2006 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 Karl August Friedrich von Witzleben (1773 - 1839), as A. v. Tromlitz, no title, appears in Ritter Franz, first published 1822
Go to the general view
This text was added to the website: 2006-06-25
Line count: 24
Word count: 125