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Wie selig war dein Leben, Dein Schlummer lind und sacht, Als einst mit süßem Beben Die Mutter dich bewacht; An deiner Wiege tönten Die ersten Lieder hell, Zum Paradies verschönten Dein Kämmerlein zur Stell! Und kommt sie denn nicht wieder Die alte, schöne Zeit? Sind ganz verhallt die Lieder Von erster Seligkeit? Nein, Traute, wem bescheret Der holden Minne Glück, Dem kehret, nur verkläret, Das alte Glück zurück! An deines Liebsten Herzen Komm, ruh' als wie ein Kind, Komm, daß ich alle Schmerzen Dir heile sanft und lind! Ach, Alles dir verschönen Möcht' ich voll Liebesdrang, So mag dies Lied dir tönen Wie erster Wiegensang!
Confirmed with Liederbuch von Friedrich Oser, 1842-1874. Mit einem biographischen Verzeichnis der Componisten, Basel: Benno Schwabe, Verlagsbuchhandlung, 1875, page 180-181.
Text Authorship:
- by Friedrich Heinrich Oser (1820 - 1891), "Wie selig war dein Leben!", appears in Liederbuch, in 2. Liebeslieder, no. 205 [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 Rudolf Löw-Burckhardt (1832 - 1898) [sung text not yet checked]
- by Philipp Tietz (1816 - 1878) [sung text not yet checked]
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- ENG English (Sharon Krebs) , "How blessed was your life!", 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: 2025-11-23
Line count: 24
Word count: 106
How blessed was your life, Your slumber soft and gentle, When once upon a time with sweet trembling Your mother kept watch over you; By your cradle there sounded The first songs brightly, They immediately made your little chamber As beautiful as paradise! And does it never return, The old, lovely time? Have the songs of the first bliss Utterly died away? No, dear, to those whom was given The happiness of dear love, The old happiness returns, Only it is transfigured! Upon your beloved's breast, Come, rest like a child, Come, so that I may softly And gently heal all your pain! Ah, full of the urging of love, I would like To make everything more beautiful for you, So that this song may sound to you Like your first cradle song!
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), "Wie selig war dein Leben!", appears in Liederbuch, in 2. Liebeslieder, no. 205
This text was added to the website: 2026-04-08
Line count: 24
Word count: 134