Drei Lieder nach Texten von Hermann Hesse

Ich fragte dich, warum dein Auge gern
In meinem Auge ruht,
So wie ein reiner Himmelsstern
In einer dunklen Flut.

Du sahest lang mich an,
Wie man ein Kind mit Blicken mißt,
Und sagtest freundlich dann:
Ich bin dir gut, weil du so traurig bist.

Text Authorship:

• by Hermann Hesse (1877 - 1962), "Ich fragte dich", written 1898, appears in Maria, no. 4

See other settings of this text.

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

• CAT Catalan (Català) (Salvador Pila) , copyright © 2025, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
• ENG English (Sharon Krebs) , copyright © 2018, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
• FRE French (Français) (Pierre Mathé) , copyright © 2017, (re)printed on this website with kind permission

Please note: this text, provided here for educational and research use, is in the public domain in Canada, but it may still be copyright in other legal jurisdictions. The LiederNet Archive makes no guarantee that the above text is public domain in your country. Please consult your country's copyright statutes or a qualified IP attorney to verify whether a certain text is in the public domain in your country or if downloading or distributing a copy constitutes fair use. The LiederNet Archive assumes no legal responsibility or liability for the copyright compliance of third parties.

Research team for this page: Emily Ezust [Administrator] , Sharon Krebs [Guest Editor]

Wenn du die kleine Hand mir gibst,
Die so viel Ungesagtes sagt,
Hab ich dich jemals dann gefragt,
Ob du mich liebst?

Ich will ja nicht, daß du mich liebst,
Will nur, daß ich dich nahe weiß
Und daß du manchmal stumm und leis
Die Hand mir gibst.

Text Authorship:

• by Hermann Hesse (1877 - 1962), "Bitte", written 1901

See other settings of this text.

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

• CAT Catalan (Català) (Salvador Pila) , copyright © 2023, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
• ENG English (Sharon Krebs) , "Request", copyright © 2012, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
• FRE French (Français) (Pierre Mathé) , "S'il te plaît", copyright © 2012, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
• ITA Italian (Italiano) (Gianni Franceschi) , "Richiesta", copyright © 2014, (re)printed on this website with kind permission

Please note: this text, provided here for educational and research use, is in the public domain in Canada and the U.S., but it may still be copyright in other legal jurisdictions. The LiederNet Archive makes no guarantee that the above text is public domain in your country. Please consult your country's copyright statutes or a qualified IP attorney to verify whether a certain text is in the public domain in your country or if downloading or distributing a copy constitutes fair use. The LiederNet Archive assumes no legal responsibility or liability for the copyright compliance of third parties.

Research team for this page: Emily Ezust [Administrator] , Sharon Krebs [Guest Editor]

Wenn doch mein Leben fürder geht
Und manchmal noch aus reichen Ranken
Ein reifes Lied mir niederweht,
Ich hab's auch dir zu danken.

Du weißt es nicht, denn ich begrub
Dein Bild in meiner Nächte Schweigen.
Und was mein Lied zu Tage hub,
War schon zuvor dein eigen.

Text Authorship:

• by Hermann Hesse (1877 - 1962), "Wenn doch mein Leben", written 1898, appears in Maria, no. 5

See other settings of this text.

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

• ENG English (Sharon Krebs) , copyright © 2018, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
• FRE French (Français) (Pierre Mathé) , copyright © 2017, (re)printed on this website with kind permission

Please note: this text, provided here for educational and research use, is in the public domain in Canada, but it may still be copyright in other legal jurisdictions. The LiederNet Archive makes no guarantee that the above text is public domain in your country. Please consult your country's copyright statutes or a qualified IP attorney to verify whether a certain text is in the public domain in your country or if downloading or distributing a copy constitutes fair use. The LiederNet Archive assumes no legal responsibility or liability for the copyright compliance of third parties.

Confirmed with Hermann Hesse, Sämtliche Werke, herausgegeben von Volker Michels, Band 10 Die Gedichte, bearbeitet von Peter Huber, Frankfurt am Main: Suhrkamp Verlag, 2002, page 42.

Research team for this page: Emily Ezust [Administrator] , Sharon Krebs [Guest Editor]