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Da die Stunde kam, daß ich Abschied nahm, Sah ich nicht den wunderschönen Mai: Hab' nur eins gewußt, als ich wandern mußt', Daß von dir, von dir ich ferne sei. Sang und Blüthenduft schweben durch die Luft, Doch an mir flog alle Lust vorbei: Hab nur eins gewußt, als ich wandern mußt', Daß von dir, von dir ich ferne sei. Nun ich wiederkehr', fühl' ich nimmermehr, Daß die Geißel schon der Winter schwingt, Denn ich weiß es ja, daß die Stunde nah, Die zu dir, zu dir mich wiederbringt. Wenn mich wild umziehn Sturmes Melodien, Wie ein Maisang mir die Luft erklingt, Denn ich weiß es ja, daß die Stunde nah, Die zu dir, zu dir mich wiederbringt.
R. Franz sets stanzas 1-3
O. Dresel sets stanzas 1-3
About the headline (FAQ)
View text with all available footnotesConfirmed with Gedichte von Wilhelm Osterwald, Dritte umgearbeitete und vermehrte Auflage, Leipzig, Verlag von F. G. C. Leuckart (Constantin Sander), 1873, no title, page 109. In later editions, the poem was given the title "Wiederkehr"
Text Authorship:
- by (Karl) Wilhelm Osterwald (1820 - 1887), "Wiederkehr", appears in Gedichte, in 1. Erstes Buch: Lieder, no. 99, first published 1848 [author's text checked 1 time against a primary source]
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Research team for this page: Emily Ezust [Administrator] , Johann Winkler
This text was added to the website: 2008-04-07
Line count: 16
Word count: 122
When the hour came that I took farewell, I did not see the wondrously beautiful May: I knew only one thing when I had to go wandering, That I would be far away from you, from you. Singing and blossom-scent waft through the air, But all the beauty passed me in swift flight: I knew only one thing, when I had to go wandering, That I would be far away from you, from you. Now that I am returning, I nevermore feel That winter is already brandishing its whip, For I know that the hour is near That brings me back to you, to you. When the melodies of the storm circle me wildly, The air resounds like a song in Maytime, For I know that the hour is near That brings me back to you, to you.
About the headline (FAQ)
View text with all available footnotesTranslations of titles:
"Da die Stunde kam" = "When the hour came"
"Da die Stunde kam, dass ich Abschied nahm" = "When the hour came that I took farewell"
"Lied im Volkston" = "Song in a folk-like manner"
"Wiederkehr" = "Return"
Text Authorship:
- Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2026 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) Wilhelm Osterwald (1820 - 1887), "Wiederkehr", appears in Gedichte, in 1. Erstes Buch: Lieder, no. 99, first published 1848
Go to the general view
This text was added to the website: 2026-04-20
Line count: 16
Word count: 142