by William Smyth (1765 - 1849)
Translation Singable translation by Georg Pertz (1830 - 1870)
'Tis but in vain, for nothing thrives
Language: English
'Tis but in vain, for nothing thrives, Where Dermot has to do, Ill-fortune seems, howe'er he strives, His footsteps to pursue! But one by one, when friends are gone, Must I forsake him too. O poverty! Full sure thou art A foe the most unkind; And weary, weary is the heart That feels thee still behind. But one by one, when friends are gone, Must I forsake him too. Next month he sails to find a home Beyond the western tide; And heav'n knows where he means to roam, His houseless head to hide. But one by one, when friends are gone, Must I forsake him too. Oh! Breathe it not thou passing wind, I tell it thee alone, My Dermot is not always, kind - He breaks my heart, I own, But one by one, when friends are gone, Must I forsake him too.
Text Authorship:
- by William Smyth (1765 - 1849) [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 Ludwig van Beethoven (1770 - 1827), "'Tis but in vain, for nothing thrives", WoO. 153 (20 Irische Lieder mit Begleitung von Pianoforte, Violine und Violoncello) no. 15, G. 224 no. 15, published 1814/6 [ voice, piano, violin, violoncello ] [sung text checked 1 time]
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- GER German (Deutsch) [singable] (Georg Pertz) , "Vergebens ist's"
Researcher for this page: Ferdinando Albeggiani
This text was added to the website: 2005-01-12
Line count: 24
Word count: 144
Vergebens ist's
Language: German (Deutsch) after the English
Vergebens ist's, um Dermot schweb Beständig Ungemach, Denn was auch immer er erstrebt, Ein Unstern folgt ihm nach. Wenn alle ihn auf Erden fliehn, Muß ich ihn lassen auch. O Armut, bitter ist dein Schmerz, Ein Feind, der hart uns drängt, Und elend, elend ist das Herz, Daran dein Fluch sich hängt. Wenn alle ihn auf Erden fliehn, Muß ich ihn lassen auch. Bald geht er fremder Heimat nach Jenseits des Westens Flut, Gott weiß es, unter welchem Dach Sein müdes Haupt bald ruht. Wenn alle ihn auf Erden fliehn, Muß ich ihn lassen auch. Verschweig es Windhauch, deiner Hut Vertrau'ich mich allein; Mein Dermot ist nicht immer gut, Er wird mein Tod noch sein. Wenn alle ihn auf Erden fliehn, Muß ich ihn lassen auch.
Text Authorship:
- Singable translation by Georg Pertz (1830 - 1870), "Vergebens ist's" [author's text not yet checked against a primary source]
Based on:
- a text in English by William Smyth (1765 - 1849)
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: 126