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Die Perlen meiner Seele Haben keinen andern Sinn, du Süße, Als daß ich sie hinstreue, Vor deine kleinen launischen Füße. Solange meine Pulse schlagen, Gehör ich dir. Wenn ich dereinst begraben bin, Werde ich als Staub vom Grab her wirbeln Und den Saum deines Gewandes küssen, Voller Liebe. Du meinst mir Kränkendes zu sagen. Du irrst dich. Deine Bitterkeiten [gehen]1 über Lippen, Die so süß sind, daß alles, Was mein Ohr erreicht, Nur liebevolles Schmeicheln ist. Niemals kommen wir zusammen, Du und ich, Was ich dir zuliebe tu, Verschmähst du. Gram, den du mir zufügst, streif ich ab. Schmück ich dich mit allen Kostbarkeiten, Zürnst du mir. Und deine Zornesworte Lächelnd nehm ich sie Wie einen Gruß der Gnade auf. Ich möchte aus deinem Haar Eine endlose Flechte winden, Um mich hinzuschwingen Von Stern zu Stern, Um allen kreisenden Welten Frohlockend deine Schönheit zu künden.
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View original text (without footnotes)1 Strauss: "gehn"
Text Authorship:
- by Hans Bethge (1876 - 1946) [author's text not yet checked against a primary source]
Based on:
- a text in Persian (Farsi) by Hafis (c1327 - 1390) [text unavailable]
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
- by Paul Breisach (1896 - 1952), "Die Perlen meiner Seele", 1918, published 1919 [ medium voice and piano ], from Lieder an die Geliebte, no. 1, Zürich : Hüni [sung text not yet checked]
- by Richard Georg Strauss (1864 - 1949), "Huldigung", op. 77 no. 5 (1928), published 1929 [ voice and piano ], from Gesänge des Orients. Nachdichtungen aus dem Persischen und Chinesischen von Hans Bethge, no. 5, Leipzig: F.E.C. Leuckart [sung text checked 1 time]
Settings in other languages, adaptations, or excerpts:
- Also set in Polish (Polski), a translation by Stanisław Barącz (1864 - 1936) [an adaptation] ; composed by Karol Maciej Szymanowski.
Other available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- CAT Catalan (Català) (Salvador Pila) , "Homenatge", copyright © 2019, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- ENG English (Sharon Krebs) , "Homage", copyright © 2014, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- FRE French (Français) (Pierre Mathé) , "Hommage", copyright © 2013, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Research team for this page: Alberto Pedrotti , Sharon Krebs [Guest Editor]
This text was added to the website: 2003-11-04
Line count: 33
Word count: 146
The pearls of my soul Are of no other use, you sweet one, But that I strew them Before your little, capricious feet. As long as my pulse beats, I belong to you. When someday I am buried, I shall swirl hither as dust from the grave And shall kiss the hem of your garment, Full of love. You think you are saying insulting things to me. You are wrong. Your bitter words pass over lips That are so sweet, that everything That reaches my ears Is only loving adulation. We shall never be united You and I, What I do for love of you, You spurn. Grief that you cause me, I shrug off. If I adorn you with every treasure, You are angry with me. And your words of wrath I smilingly accept Like a greeting of grace. From your hair I would like To weave an endless braid, In order to swing myself From star to star, To joyfully proclaim your beauty To all the orbiting worlds.
Text Authorship:
- Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2014 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.
Contact: licenses@email.lieder.example.net
Based on:
- a text in German (Deutsch) by Hans Bethge (1876 - 1946)
Based on:
- a text in Persian (Farsi) by Hafis (c1327 - 1390) [text unavailable]
This text was added to the website: 2014-06-23
Line count: 33
Word count: 170