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Mein Aug' ist trüb, mein Mund ist stumm. Du heißest mich reden, es sei darum. Dein Aug' ist klar, dein Mund ist rot, Und was du [nur]1 wünschest, das ist ein Gebot. Mein Haar ist grau, mein Herz ist wund, Du bist so jung, und bist so gesund. Du heißest mich reden, und machst mir's so schwer. Ich seh' dich so an, und zittre so sehr.
About the headline (FAQ)
View text without footnotes1 Grieg: "nun"
Text Authorship:
- by Adelbert von Chamisso (1781 - 1838), "Was soll ich sagen?", written 1819, appears in Lieder und lyrisch epische Gedichte [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 Zdenko Antonín Václav Fibich (1850 - 1900), "Frage", H. 107 (1869) [sung text not yet checked]
- by Edvard Grieg (1843 - 1907), "Was soll ich sagen?", op. 2 (Vier Lieder) no. 4 (1861), published 1863 [ alto and piano ], Leipzig [sung text checked 1 time]
- by Robert Schumann (1810 - 1856), "Was soll ich sagen?", op. 27 (Lieder und Gesänge für Singstimme und Klavier (Heft 1)) no. 3 (1840), published 1849 [ voice and piano ], Leipzig, Whistling [sung text checked 1 time]
- by Moritz Weyermann (1832 - 1888), "Was soll ich sagen", op. 5 (Fünf Gesänge) no. 1 [ voice and piano ] [sung text not yet checked]
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- CAT Catalan (Català) (Salvador Pila) , copyright © 2021, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- DUT Dutch (Nederlands) [singable] (Lau Kanen) , "Wat moet ik zeggen?", copyright © 2012, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- ENG English (Emily Ezust) , "My eyes are troubled", copyright ©
- FRE French (Français) (Pierre Mathé) , "Que dois-je dire", copyright © 2008, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 8
Word count: 67
Mes yeux sont troublés, ma bouche est muette. Tu me dis de parler, qu'il en soit ainsi. Tes yeux sont clairs, ta bouche est rouge, Et [ce que tu désires]1 est un ordre. Mes cheveux sont gris, mon cœur est blessé, Tu es si jeune, tu es si vivante. Tu me dis de parler, et tu me le rends si dur Plus je te regarde et plus je tremble.
1 Grieg : "ton moindre désir"
Text Authorship:
- Translation from German (Deutsch) to French (Français) copyright © 2008 by Pierre Mathé, (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 Adelbert von Chamisso (1781 - 1838), "Was soll ich sagen?", written 1819, appears in Lieder und lyrisch epische Gedichte
This text was added to the website: 2008-11-29
Line count: 8
Word count: 70