O zoete mei ! | O zoete mei, o heb met mij erbarmen

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by Karl Friedrich Henckell (1864 - 1929)

Translation © by Lau Kanen

O süßer Mai!

Language: German (Deutsch)

Our translations: CAT DUT ENG FRE

O süßer Mai, o habe du Erbarmen,
o süßer Mai, dich fleh' ich glühend an:
an deiner Brust seh' ich die Flur erwarmen,
und alles schwillt, was lebt in deinem Bann;
der du so mild und huldvoll ohne Ende,
o lieber Mai, gewähre mir die Spende!

Der düstre Pilger, der in diesen Gau'n
entrann dem Eishauch winterlicher Zeit,
erkor ein Mädchen, mild wie du zu schauen,
lenzfrisch gleich dir in keuscher Herrlichkeit.
Daß wir uns lieben und in Lieb' umarmen,
Erbarmen, Mai, Holdseligster, Erbarmen!

Text Authorship:

by Karl Friedrich Henckell (1864 - 1929) [author's text not yet checked 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):

by Georg Schumann (1866 - 1952), "O süßer Mai", op. 44 no. 4, published 1905 [ voice and piano ], from Lieder der Liebe für Gesang und Klavier, no. 4, Berlin, Bote & Bock [sung text not yet checked]
by Richard Georg Strauss (1864 - 1949), "O süßer Mai!", op. 32 (Fünf Lieder) no. 4 [sung text checked 1 time]

Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):

CAT Catalan (Català) (Salvador Pila) , "Oh dolç mes de maig!", copyright © 2020, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
DUT Dutch (Nederlands) [singable] (Lau Kanen) , "O zoete mei !", copyright © 2019, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
ENG English (Emily Ezust) , "O sweet May!", copyright ©
FRE French (Français) (Guy Laffaille) , "Ô doux mois de Mai", copyright © 2013, (re)printed on this website with kind permission

Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]

This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 12
Word count: 84

O zoete mei !

Language: Dutch (Nederlands) after the German (Deutsch)

O zoete mei, o heb met mij erbarmen,
O zoete mei, jou roep ik vurig aan:
Zacht aan jouw borst zie ik het veld verwarmen,
En alles groeit, wat jou dankt zijn bestaan;
Jij bent zo mild en altijd vol genade,
O lieve mei, verleen ook mij jouw gaven!

De somb’re pelgrim, die in deze streek
Ontvlood de ijswind van de wintertijd,
Koos zich een meisje, lief als jij gebleken,
Heel fris als jij in kuise heerlijkheid.
Dat wij beminnen en elkaar omarmen,
Erbarmen, mei, o mooiste maand, erbarmen!

Text Authorship:

Singable translation from German (Deutsch) to Dutch (Nederlands) copyright © 2019 by Lau Kanen, (re)printed on this website with kind permission. To reprint and distribute this author's work for concert programs, CD booklets, etc., please ask the copyright-holder(s) directly.
Lau Kanen. Contact: boudewijnkanen (AT) gmail (DOT) com

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Based on:

a text in German (Deutsch) by Karl Friedrich Henckell (1864 - 1929)
- Go to the text page.

This text was added to the website: 2019-03-26
Line count: 12
Word count: 89