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Wer meine Freunde sind? -- Zugvögel, überm Ozean verirrt, Schiffbrüchige Schiffer, Herden ohne Hirt, Die Nacht, der Traum, der heimatlose Wind. Am Wege liegen hinter mir Zerstörte Tempel, Liebesgärten Verwildernd, schwül und sommerzier, Und Frau'n mit welken Liebesgebärden, Und Meere, die ich überfuhr. Sie liegen stumm und ohne Spur; Kennt keiner, was versunken liegt, Die Königskronen, die Herrscherstunden, Die Freundesstirnen epheuumwunden. Sie liegen von meinen Liedern gewiegt Und dämmern blaß in meine Nächte, Wenn hastig meine schmale Rechte Mit raschem Stift in meinem Leben wühlt. Ich habe nie ein Ziel errungen, Meine Faust hat nie einen Feind gezwungen, Mein Herz hat nie ein volles Glück gefühlt.
Please note: this text, provided here for educational and research use, is in the public domain in Canada, but it may still be copyright in other legal jurisdictions. The LiederNet Archive makes no guarantee that the above text is public domain in your country. Please consult your country's copyright statutes or a qualified IP attorney to verify whether a certain text is in the public domain in your country or if downloading or distributing a copy constitutes fair use. The LiederNet Archive assumes no legal responsibility or liability for the copyright compliance of third parties.
Note: quoted in Hesse's Vollendung.
Confirmed with Hermann Hesse, Sämtliche Werke, herausgegeben von Volker Michels, Band 10 Die Gedichte, bearbeitet von Peter Huber, Frankfurt am Main: Suhrkamp Verlag, 2002, pages 17-18.
Text Authorship:
- by Hermann Hesse (1877 - 1962), "Geständnis", written 1898 [author's text checked 2 times against a primary source]
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
- [ None yet in the database ]
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- CAT Catalan (Català) (Salvador Pila) , "Confessió", copyright © 2025, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- ENG English (Sharon Krebs) , "Confession", copyright © 2014, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- FRE French (Français) (Pierre Mathé) , "Confession", copyright © 2017, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Researcher for this page: Sharon Krebs [Guest Editor]
This text was added to the website: 2014-08-12
Line count: 20
Word count: 105
Qui sont mes amis ? Oiseau migrateur égaré sur l'océan, Marin naufragé, troupeau sans berger, La nuit, le rêve, le vent sans patrie. Derrière moi il y a sur le chemin Des temples détruits, des jardins d'amour Redevenus sauvages, lourds et parés par l'été, Et des femmes aux gestes d'amour fanés, Et des mers que j'ai traversées. Ils sont muets et sans traces ; Personne ne sait ce qui est englouti là, Les couronnes royales, les heures des souverains, Le front des amis couronné de lierre. Ils sont bercés par mes chants Et pâles ils somnolent dans mes nuits, Quand à la hâte ma frêle main droite Fouille dans ma vie avec un crayon rapide. Je n'ai atteint aucun but Mon poing n'a jamais frappé un ennemi, Mon cœur n'a jamais ressenti un bonheur total.
Text Authorship:
- Translation from German (Deutsch) to French (Français) copyright © 2017 by Pierre Mathé, (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 Hermann Hesse (1877 - 1962), "Geständnis", written 1898
This text was added to the website: 2017-02-08
Line count: 20
Word count: 133