We did not exchange rings

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by Friedrich Martin von Bodenstedt (1819 - 1892)

Translation © by Sharon Krebs

Wir haben nicht Ringe gewechselt

Language: German (Deutsch)

Our translations: ENG

Wir haben nicht Ringe gewechselt,
Das Herz zu legen in Banden;
Wir haben nicht Phrasen gedrechselt,
Und haben uns doch verstanden.

Wir haben nicht Eltern, noch Sippen
Dabei zu Rath gezogen --
Es haben Herzen und Lippen
Alleine Rath gepflogen.

Ein Blick herüber, hinüber,
Ein Kuß -- ich hielt Dich umwunden --
Die Herzen flossen uns über,
Wir waren auf ewig verbunden.

About the headline (FAQ)

Confirmed with Ausgewählte Dichtungen von Friedrich Bodenstedt, Zweite Auflage, Berlin: Verlag der Königlichen Geheimen Ober-Hofbuchdruckerei (R.v. Decker), 1864, page 263.

Text Authorship:

by Friedrich Martin von Bodenstedt (1819 - 1892), "Verständigung", appears in Alte und neue Gedichte, in 9. Aus dem Buche Edlitam (1847-1851) [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):

by Heinrich August Marschner (1795 - 1861), "Wir haben nicht Ringe", op. 163 (Friedrich Bodenstedts Lieder für eine Sopran oder Tenorstimme am Piano zu singen), Heft 2 no. 9, published 1853 [ soprano or tenor and piano ], Berlin, Bote und Bock [sung text checked 1 time]

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

ENG English (Sharon Krebs) , copyright © 2022, (re)printed on this website with kind permission

Research team for this page: Emily Ezust [Administrator] , Sharon Krebs [Guest Editor]

This text was added to the website: 2021-08-19
Line count: 12
Word count: 59

We did not exchange rings

Language: English after the German (Deutsch)

We did not exchange rings
In order to bind our hearts;
We did not turn phrases,
And nevertheless understood one another.

We did not ask for the advice
Of parents or relations --
Our hearts and lips
Took counsel all by themselves.

A glance hither and back,
A kiss -- I held you embraced --
Our hearts overflowed,
We were eternally joined together.

About the headline (FAQ)

Translations of title(s):
"Verständigung" = "An understanding"
"Wir haben nicht Ringe" = "We did not [exchange] rings"

Text Authorship:

Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2022 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.
Contact: licenses@email.lieder.example.net

Based on:

a text in German (Deutsch) by Friedrich Martin von Bodenstedt (1819 - 1892), "Verständigung", appears in Alte und neue Gedichte, in 9. Aus dem Buche Edlitam (1847-1851)
- Go to the text page.

This text was added to the website: 2022-04-30
Line count: 12
Word count: 60