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In der allerbängsten Stunde, Wenn ich von dir ferne bin, Malt' auf meiner Seele Grunde Ich so gern dein Bildnis hin. Möcht' in seligem Genüge Blicken auf dein Augenpaar, Deine liebe, lieben Züge Möcht' ich schauen scharf und klar. Doch in Wehen, doch in Wonnen Wogt das Herz so stürmisch laut, Und dein Bildnis ist zerronnen, Eh's mein Auge hat erschaut. Wie ein Sternlein, das da winket Von der Höh' mit sanfter Glut, Helle dir entgegenblinket Aus des Sees klarer Fluth, -- Alsobald muss es verglimmen, Wenn die Welle woget auf, Und sein Bildnis muss verschwimmen In der Wogen wildem Lauf. Doch am Himmel hoch, dem klaren, Bleibt das Sternlein immer stehn, Wird nach tausend, tausend Jahren In des Sees Fluten sehn.
Confirmed with Liederbuch von Friedrich Oser, 1842-1874. Mit einem biographischen Verzeichnis der Componisten, Basel: Benno Schwabe, Verlagsbuchhandlung, 1875, pages 186-187.
Text Authorship:
- by Friedrich Heinrich Oser (1820 - 1891), "See und Sternlein", appears in Liederbuch, in 2. Liebeslieder, no. 212 [author's text checked 1 time against a primary source]
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Research team for this page: Sharon Krebs [Senior Associate Editor], Johann Winkler
This text was added to the website: 2022-08-05
Line count: 24
Word count: 123
In the most anxious of hours, When I am far away from you, Upon the depths of my soul I would So gladly draw your image. In blessed contentment I would like To gaze upon your eyes, Your dear, dear lineaments I would like to see sharply and clearly. But in sorrows, but in delights My heart surges so loudly and stormily, And your image has faded away Before my eyes have seen it. As a little star that beckons From on high with a gentle glow, That brightly twinkles toward you From the clear waters of the lake, -- It must be extinguished forthwith When the wave surges up, And its image must dissolve In the wild flowing of the waves. But high upon the sky, the clear sky, The little star always remains in place, After a thousand, thousand years It shall still gaze into the waters of the lake.
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 Friedrich Heinrich Oser (1820 - 1891), "See und Sternlein", appears in Liederbuch, in 2. Liebeslieder, no. 212
Go to the general view
This text was added to the website: 2026-04-09
Line count: 24
Word count: 152
