When happiness glides

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by Peter Cornelius (1824 - 1874)

Translation © by Sharon Krebs

Wenn Glück auf Dich

Language: German (Deutsch)

Our translations: ENG

Wenn Glück auf Dich
Hernieder glitt,
Eh's rasch entwich
In flücht'gem Tritt,
Nimm's mit.
Streut Dir auf's Haupt
Ein Blatt der West,
Im Flug geraubt,
Vom Thau genäßt,
Halt's fest!
Laß immerdar
Dir Gaben weih'n.
Sollt's Manna sein,
Fang's ein!
Doch hält ein Herz
Mit Deinem Schritt,
Das gern um Liebe
Alles litt,
Dann Glückskind Du,
Merk' auf, greif' zu,
Halt's fest, fang's ein, nimm's mit!

Available sung texts: (what is this?)

• J. da Motta • A. Ritter

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Confirmed with Peter Cornelius, Gedichte, eingeleitet von Adolf Stern, Leipzig: C.F. Kahnt Nachfolger, 1890, page 88.

Note: in another edition of this poem by Cornelius, line 13 ("Sollt's Manna sein") is expanded to two lines: "Sollt's Manna gar/ Vom Himmel sein"; and the final line of the poem is "Fang's ein, halt's fest, nimm's mit!", which is also the title.

Text Authorship:

by Peter Cornelius (1824 - 1874), "Halt's fest, fang's ein, nimm's mit!", appears in Gedichte, in 1. Lieder [author's text checked 2 times against a primary source]

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Research team for this page: Emily Ezust [Administrator] , Sharon Krebs [Senior Associate Editor]

This text was added to the website: 2011-07-10
Line count: 21
Word count: 68

When happiness glides

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Language: English after the German (Deutsch)

When happiness glides
Down upon you,
Before it vanishes quickly
With fleeting step,
Take it with you!
When the west wind strews
A leaf upon your head,
A leaf stolen in flight,
Damp with dew,
Hold it fast!
Always allow 
Gifts to be dedicated to you.
If it be manna,,
Catch it!
But if a heart
Keeps step with yours,
A heart that for love
Would suffer everything,
Then, you lucky one,
Pay attention, grasp it,
Hold it fast, catch it, take it with you!

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Translations of title(s):
"Guter Rath" = "Good advice"
"Halt's fest, fang's ein, nimm's mit!" = "Hold it fast, catch it, take it with you!"
"Nimm's mit!" = "Take it with you!"

Note: in another edition of this poem by Cornelius, line 13 ("Sollt's Manna sein") is expanded to two lines, which could be translated "Should it even be manna/ From heaven"; and the new final line of the poem, also used as the title, could be translated "Catch it, hold it fast, take it with you!"

Text Authorship:

Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2021 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 Peter Cornelius (1824 - 1874), "Halt's fest, fang's ein, nimm's mit!", appears in Gedichte, in 1. Lieder
- Go to the text page.

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This text was added to the website: 2021-05-03
Line count: 21
Word count: 87