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O schön ist's, wenn zwei Herzen jung Treu für einander schlagen, Und sich viel tausend süße Wort' Von Glück und Liebe sagen! Doch schön auch, wenn im Alter Zwei Still bei einander stehen, Die Augen ihnen unbewußt Im Lächeln übergehen. Gediegen Gold im Schachte wächst Nach langen, langen Jahren, Wächst fort, wie Sturm und Wetter auch Kommt übern Berg gefahren! Und muß die junge Lust verwehn, Der helle Frühlingsmorgen, Im Busen bleibt als reicher Schatz Die Treue doch geborgen. Glückselig, wer solch Gold bewahrt, Und wem es nimmer rostet; Wer fort und fort in Freud' und Leid Den Trost der Minne kostet! Das Haar wird bleich, doch bis zuletzt Muß Liebe sich bewähren, Und schimmert fort, und muß im Tod Nur schöner sich verklären!
Confirmed with Liederbuch von Friedrich Oser, 1842-1874. Mit einem biographischen Verzeichnis der Componisten, Basel: Benno Schwabe, Verlagsbuchhandlung, 1875, page 229.
Text Authorship:
- by Friedrich Heinrich Oser (1820 - 1891), "Alte Liebe", appears in Liederbuch, in 2. Liebeslieder, no. 260 [author's text checked 1 time 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 Hermann Nägeli (1811 - 1872) [sung text not yet checked]
- by Benedikt Randhartinger (1802 - 1893), "Alte Liebe" [sung text checked 1 time]
- by Philipp Tietz (1816 - 1878) [sung text not yet checked]
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- ENG English (Sharon Krebs) , "Old love", copyright © 2026, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Research team for this page: Sharon Krebs [Senior Associate Editor], Johann Winkler
This text was added to the website: 2021-01-03
Line count: 24
Word count: 125
Oh, it is beautiful when two hearts in youth Beat faithfully for each other, And in many thousand sweet words Tell each other of happiness and love! But it is also beautiful when in old age Two stand together quietly, Their eyes unconsciously Brimming with smiles. Pure gold grows in the shaft After many, many years, It goes on growing, though storms come Racing over the mountain. And if young bliss, the bright springtime morning, Must pass away, Faithfulness, as a rich treasure, Remains safely harboured in the bosom. Happy is he who safeguards such gold And for whom it never rusts; Who on and on in joy and sorrow Tastes of the consolation of love! His hair may whiten, but to the end Love must prove itself, And shimmer on, and must in death Only be all the more radiantly transfigured!
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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Based on:
- a text in German (Deutsch) by Friedrich Heinrich Oser (1820 - 1891), "Alte Liebe", appears in Liederbuch, in 2. Liebeslieder, no. 260
This text was added to the website: 2026-06-04
Line count: 24
Word count: 143