The growth of love | Oh dearest, listen! because of a transgression

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by Friedrich Heinrich Oser (1820 - 1891)

Translation © by Sharon Krebs

Der Liebe Wachsthum

Language: German (Deutsch)

Our translations: ENG

O Liebste, horch! für eine Schuld 
Muß flehn mein Kuß um deine Huld: 
Nicht liebt' ich gnug dich inniglich, 
Erst heute, heute lieb' ich dich 
  So recht aus tiefster Seele! 

Ach, sage mir, wie fang' ich's an, 
Daß ich die Lieb' erringen kann, 
Die mir genügt zu jeder Frist, 
Und einmal ausgewachsen ist, 
  Wo mag ich sie wohl finden? --

O Liebster, Liebster, höre recht: 
Verstehst dich auf die Liebe schlecht; 
Wenn einst sie ausgewachsen wär', 
Ach, wär's die ächte nimmermehr, 
  Bald müßte sie ersterben! 

Die Lieb' ist gar ein selten Kraut; 
Ist's mal auf Erden angebaut, 
So wachst und wachst es hoch hinauf, 
Und höret nicht zu wachsen auf, 
  Bis es zum Himmel reichet.

Confirmed with Liederbuch von Friedrich Oser, 1842-1874. Mit einem biographischen Verzeichnis der Componisten, Basel: Benno Schwabe, Verlagsbuchhandlung, 1875, pages 167-168.

Text Authorship:

by Friedrich Heinrich Oser (1820 - 1891), "Der Liebe Wachsthum", appears in Liederbuch, in 2. Liebeslieder, no. 190 [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 Leonhard Schäffer (b. 1823), "Der Liebe Wachsthum", published 1879 [ men's chorus ], in: Regensburger Liederkranz, Regensburg: Coppenrath [sung text not yet checked]

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

ENG English (Sharon Krebs) , "The growth of love", 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: 2025-11-14
Line count: 20
Word count: 114

The growth of love

Language: English after the German (Deutsch)

Oh dearest, listen! because of a transgression,
My kiss must plead for your benevolence:
I did not love you deeply enough,
Only today, today I love you
  Quite from the bottom of my soul!

Ah, tell me how do I manage
To achieve a love
That is enough for me at all times
And that someday reaches maturity --
  Wherever might I find it? --

Oh dearest, dearest, listen closely:
You do not understand love very well;
If once it would have finished growing,
Ah, it would not be real anymore,
  Soon it would have to die!

Love is a very rare herb;
Once it has been planted on earth
It grows and grows, high and higher,
And never stops growing
  Until it reaches up to the sky.

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), "Der Liebe Wachsthum", appears in Liederbuch, in 2. Liebeslieder, no. 190
- Go to the text page.

This text was added to the website: 2026-02-05
Line count: 20
Word count: 126