The Dwarves' Lament | Did you have to fade so soon

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by Hermann Franke (1834 - 1919)

Translation © by Michael P Rosewall

Der Zwerge Klage

Language: German (Deutsch)

Our translations: ENG

Musstest du so bald verglühen,
Röslein rot?
Gestern noch im frischen Blühen,
heute tot!
Ach, wir weinen und wir klagen
seit drei langen, bangen Tagen,
dass wir scheiden; ach, ade!
Weh, o weh!

Vöglein, klaget in den Bäumen,
traure, Wald!
Ging sie doch aus diesen Räumen,
ach, wie bald!
Wart ihr doch Sneewittchens Lieben!
Ach, wo ist sie nun geblieben!
Musste scheiden, ach, ade!
Weh, o weh!

Eine Solostimme:
Wer wird uns're Hütte schmücken?

Alle:
Keiner mehr!

Eine Solostimme:
Was kann nun uns noch beglücken?

Alle:
Alles leer!
Ach, wir weinen und wir klagen,
müssen's doch mit Schmerzen tragen,
dass wir scheiden, ach ade!
Weh, o weh!

Text Authorship:

by Hermann Franke (1834 - 1919) [author's text not yet checked 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 Franz Wilhelm Abt (1819 - 1885), "Der Zwerge Klage", op. 550 no. 7, published 1880 [ chorus, soli, piano ], from Ein Cyclus von 8 durch Declamation verbundenen Gesängen nach dem Märchen der Gebrüder Grimm für Sopran, Mezzosopran und Alt mit Pianoforte-Begleitung, no. 7, Offenbach, André [sung text checked 1 time]

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

ENG English (Michael P Rosewall) , "The Dwarves' Lament", copyright © 2024, (re)printed on this website with kind permission

Researcher for this page: Johann Winkler

This text was added to the website: 2020-11-26
Line count: 28
Word count: 107

The Dwarves' Lament

Language: English after the German (Deutsch)

Did you have to fade so soon
Little red rose?
Yesterday still in fresh bloom,
Today – dead!
Ah, we weep and we mourn
For three long, terrible days,
That we must part; Ah, farewell!
Alas, oh alas!

Little birds mourn in the trees
Lament, forest!
She has gone from this place,
Ah, too soon!
Were you indeed beloved by Snow White!
Ah, where has she gone now!
We must part, Ah, farewell!
Alas, oh alas!

A solo voice:
Who will make our cottage beautiful?

All:
No one any more!

A solo voice:
Who can make us happy again?

All:
Everything is empty!
Ah, we weep and we mourn,
We must go on with our pain,
That we must part, ah, farewell!
Alas, oh alas!

Text Authorship:

Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2024 by Michael P Rosewall, (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.
Contact: licenses@email.lieder.example.net

Based on:

a text in German (Deutsch) by Hermann Franke (1834 - 1919)
- Go to the text page.

This text was added to the website: 2024-08-27
Line count: 28
Word count: 125