Wenn dir ein Freund gestorben ist
Language: German (Deutsch)
Wenn dir ein Freund gestorben ist,
So legst du ihn ins Grab,
Weinst ein paar Thränen über ihn --
Und trocknest sie auch ab.
Doch wenn ein Herz dir untreu ward --
Ein so geliebtes Herz!
So gibt's kein Grab, das tief genug,
Zu bergen deinen Schmerz.
Da trägst du recht in Todesangst
Das Herz mit dir herum,
Und in dem Busen heiß und bang
Glühn tausend Thränen stumm.
Da giebst du bis zur letzten Stund'
Den bittern Gram nicht ab;
Das ungetreue kalte Herz --
Du theilst mit ihm dein Grab.
Confirmed with Nürnberger Volksblätter für Jedermann aus dem Volke, 22. Jahrgang, No. 24 (Samstag, den 11. Juni 1887), page 185.
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):
- ENG English (Sharon Krebs) , "When one of your friends has died", copyright © 2026, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Researcher for this page: Sharon Krebs
[Senior Associate Editor]This text was added to the website: 2026-01-19
Line count: 16
Word count: 89
When one of your friends has died
Language: English after the German (Deutsch)
When one of your friends has died,
You lay him in the grave,
You weep a few tears over him --
And also wipe them away [afterwards].
But when a heart has become unfaithful to you –
A so-beloved heart!
Then there is no grave deep enough
To harbour your pain.
In deathly fear you truly carry
The heart around with you,
And in your breast, hot and apprehensive,
A thousand tears burn mutely.
Then to your last hour you
Do not surrender the bitter grief;
The unfaithful, cold heart --
You share your grave with it.
Text Authorship:
- Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2026 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.
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This text was added to the website: 2026-02-05
Line count: 16
Word count: 95
