by William Smyth (1765 - 1849)
Translation Singable translation by Georg Pertz (1830 - 1870)

Sad and luckless was the season
Language: English 
Sad and luckless was the season,
When to court fair Ellen flew,
Flew from Love, and Peace, and Reason,
Worlds to see of promise new.
Back she comes - each grace is finer,
Ev'ry charm that crowds adore,
All the form divine, diviner -
But the heart is there no more.

Oh! 'tis gone, the temper even,
Careless nature, artless ease!
All that makes retirement heaven - 
Pleasing, without toil to please,
Hope no more, sweet lark, to cheer her,
Vain to her these echoing skies - 
Bloom non more, ye violets, near her,
Yours are charms she would not prize.

Ellen! Go where crowds admire thee,
Chariots rattle, torches blaze;
Here our dull content would tire thee,
Worthless be our village praise.
Go! Yet oh, that Thought's soft season
Ellen's heart might but restore!
Hard the task - whate'er the reason - 
Hard the task to love no more.

Text Authorship:

Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):

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

  • GER German (Deutsch) [singable] (Georg Pertz) , "Trüb und traurig schien die Sonne"


Researcher for this page: Ferdinando Albeggiani

This text was added to the website: 2005-01-12
Line count: 24
Word count: 144

Trüb und traurig schien die Sonne
Language: German (Deutsch)  after the English 
Trüb und traurig schien die Sonne,
Als zum hof schön' Ellen flog,
Als von Weisheit, Lieb' und Wonne
Ein geträumtes Glück sie zog.
Heimgekehrt scheint anmutreicher
Sie in Lächeln, Wort und Scherz,
Jeder Reiz noch göttergleicher,
Doch verändert ist das Herz. 

Ach, dahin die holde Spröde,
hin auf ewig, ohne Spur,
Was zum Paradies die Öde
Wandelt: Unschuld und Natur.
Nicht entzückt der Frührotsänger
Grüß sie mehr vom Wolkenreich;
Veilchen, nicht umblüht sie länger,
Euer Liebreiz gilt ihr gleich.

Geh, wo Schmeichler Weihrauch streuen,
Reichtum lockt und Kerzenglanz,
Kann dein stolzes Herz erfreuen
Dörflicher Bewundrung Kranz?
Geh - o daß der Unschuld Schimmer
In dein Herz blad wiederkehr'!
Hart ist's  - sei der grund, was immer -,
Ellen nicht zu lieben mehr.

Text Authorship:

Based on:

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 ]


Researcher for this page: Ferdinando Albeggiani

This text was added to the website: 2005-01-12
Line count: 24
Word count: 120