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Es flattert um die Quelle
Die [wechselnde]1 Libelle,
Mich freut sie lange schon:
Bald dunkel und bald helle,
Wie der Chamäleon,
Bald rot, bald blau,
Bald blau, bald grün.
O daß ich in der Nähe
Doch ihre Farben sähe!
Sie schwirrt und schwebet, rastet nie!
Doch still, sie setzt sich an die Weiden.
Da hab' ich sie ! da hab' ich sie!
Und nun betracht' ich sie genau,
Und seh' ein traurig dunkles Blau --
So geht es dir, Zergliedrer deiner Freuden!
About the headline (FAQ)
View text without footnotes1 Dalberg: "farbige"
Text Authorship:
- by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749 - 1832), "Die Freuden" [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 Eduard Behm (1862 - 1946), "Die Libelle", op. 16 (Sechs Lieder für 1 Singstimme mit Pianofortebegleitung) no. 2, published 1899 [ voice and piano ], Berlin, Ries & Erler [sung text not yet checked]
- by Johann Friedrich Hugo, Freiherr von Dalberg (1760 - 1812), "Die Freuden", c1795 [sung text checked 1 time]
Set in a modified version by Bernhard Theodor Breitkopf.
Settings in other languages, adaptations, or excerpts:
- Also set in German (Deutsch), [adaptation] ; composed by Carl Loewe.
Other available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- FRE French (Français) (Pierre Mathé) , "Les plaisirs", copyright © 2012, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Research team for this page: Emily Ezust [Administrator] , Johann Winkler
This text was added to the website: 2012-09-16
Line count: 15
Word count: 82
Autour de la source voletait La changeante libellule, Elle me charme depuis longtemps déjà, Tantôt sombre, tantôt claire, Comme un caméléon. Tantôt rouge et bleue, Tantôt bleue et verte. Oh, si je pouvais de près Voir ses couleurs ! Elle bourdonne et plane, jamais au repos. Mais en silence, elle se pose sur le saule. Ça y est, je l'ai ! Ça y est, je l'ai ! Et maintenant je peux l'examiner en détail, Et je vois un triste bleu foncé. Il en va ainsi quand tu dissèques tes plaisirs !
Text Authorship:
- Translation from German (Deutsch) to French (Français) copyright © 2012 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 Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749 - 1832), "Die Freuden"
This text was added to the website: 2012-09-16
Line count: 15
Word count: 87