by
Paul Heyse (1830 - 1914)
Was bedeutet's, o mein Bruder?
Language: German (Deutsch) after the Italian (Italiano)
Was bedeutet's, o mein Bruder?
Trauer seh' ich zugerüstet.
Bitte, sag' mir nur ein Wörtchen!
Warum schweigst du so entrüstet?
Dich zu kränken, zu mißhandeln,
Wen, o sag, hat es gelüstet?
Wenn ich einen Degen trüge,
Wie ich trage Rock und Mieder,
O du Lieber deiner Schwester,
Stieß' ich jene Wilden nieder.
Dieser holde Mund, o Bruder,
Spricht und lächelt nun nicht wieder.
Ach wohin, mein theurer Bruder,
Willst du nun, daß wir dich tragen?
Ganz verfärbt sind deine Züge,
Anders als in frühern Tagen.
Grausam, grausam war die Wunde,
Die ins Hirn dir ward geschlagen!
About the headline (FAQ)
Confirmed with Paul Heyse, Italienisches Liederbuch, Berlin: Verlag von Wilhelm Hertz (Bessersche Buchhandlung), 1860, pages 229-230.
Text Authorship:
Based on:
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) , copyright © 2021, (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: 2011-11-24
Line count: 18
Word count: 96
What does this mean, oh my brother?
Language: English after the German (Deutsch)
What does this mean, oh my brother?
I see mourning prepared.
Please, speak only one little word!
Why do you remain silent so indignantly?
Who was tempted to insult you,
To mistreat you, oh tell me!
If I wore a dagger
The way I wear my skirt and bodice,
Oh you beloved of your sister,
I would slay those wild men.
This fair mouth, oh my brother,
Shall neither speak nor laugh again.
Whither, ah, my dear brother,
Would you now like us to carry you?
Your features are all discoloured,
Different from how looked in past days.
Vicious, vicious was the wound
That was delivered to your brain.
About the headline (FAQ)
Translations of title(s):
"Klage einer Schwester um ihren ermordeten Bruder" = "Lament of a sister for her murdered brother"
"Klagelied einer Schwester" = "Lamenting song of a sister"
Text Authorship:
- Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2021 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:
Based on:
This text was added to the website: 2021-03-19
Line count: 18
Word count: 109
