English translations of Drei Lieder, opus 16

by Anton Eberhardt (1855 - 1922)

1. Der Asra  [sung text not yet checked]
by Anton Eberhardt (1855 - 1922), "Der Asra", op. 16 (Drei Lieder) no. 1
Language: German (Deutsch) 
  Täglich ging die wunderschöne 
Sultanstochter auf und nieder 
Um die Abendzeit am Springbrunn,
Wo die weißen Wasser plätschern.

  Täglich stand der junge Sklave
Um die Abendzeit am Springbrunn.
Wo die weißen Wasser plätschern;
Täglich ward er bleich und bleicher.

  Eines Abends trat die Fürstin 
Auf ihn zu mit raschen Worten:
"Deinen Namen will ich wissen, 
Deine Heimat, deine Sippschaft!"

  Und der Sklave sprach: "Ich heiße
[Mohamed]1, [ich]2 bin aus Yemen,
Und mein Stamm sind jene Asra,
Welche sterben, wenn sie lieben."

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Confirmed with: Heinrich Heine’s sämtliche Werke in vier Bänden, herausgegeben von Otto F. Lachmann, Erster Band, Leipzig: Druck und Verlag von Philipp Reclam jun, [1887], page 392.

1 Loewe, Rubinstein: "Mahomet"
2 Loewe: "und"

by Heinrich Heine (1797 - 1856)
1. The Asra
Language: English 
Every day the wondrous lovely
Sultan's daughter spent the evening
On the paths beside the fountain
Where the foaming waters murmur.

Every day the slave boy watched her
On the paths beside the fountain
Where the foaming waters murmur;
Every day he turned more pallid.

Then one eve the princess halted,
Firing off the urgent questions:
What's your name? I want to know it,
And your country and your people!

And the slave boy said: They call me
Mohammed, I'm from the Yemen,
And my tribe -- the famous Asra,
They who die when love enslaves them.

Text Authorship:

  • Singable translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2009 by Peter Palmer, (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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Note: this is a revised American version of the one published with the David Blake setting.


This text was added to the website: 2009-06-10
Line count: 16
Word count: 96

Translation © by Peter Palmer
2. Der Doppelgänger  [sung text not yet checked]
by Anton Eberhardt (1855 - 1922), "Der Doppelgänger", op. 16 (Drei Lieder) no. 2
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Still ist die Nacht, es [ruhen]1 die Gassen,
In [diesem]2 Hause wohnte mein Schatz;
Sie hat schon [längst]3 die Stadt verlassen,
Doch steht noch das Haus auf demselben Platz.

Da steht auch ein Mensch und starrt in die Höhe,
Und ringt die Hände, vor Schmerzensgewalt;
Mir [graust]4 es, wenn ich sein Antlitz sehe, -
Der Mond zeigt mir meine eigne Gestalt.

Du [Doppeltgänger]5! du bleicher Geselle!
Was äffst du nach mein Liebesleid,
Das mich gequält auf dieser Stelle,
So manche Nacht, in alter Zeit?

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Confirmed with Buch der Lieder von H. Heine. Hamburg bei Hoffmann und Campe. 1827, page 198; and with Reisebilder von H. Heine. Erster Theil. Hamburg, bey Hoffmann und Campe. 1826, page 24.

First published as number VI of Drei und dreißig Gedichte von H. Heine in Der Gesellschafter oder Blätter für Geist und Herz. Herausgegeben von F. W. Gubitz. Achter Jahrgang. Berlin, 1824. In der Maurerschen Buchhandlung. Freitag den 26. März. 49stes Blatt, page 243.

1 Bolko von Hochberg: "ruh'n"
2 Bolko von Hochberg: "jenem"
3 Bolko von Hochberg: "lange"
4 Bolko von Hochberg: "graut"
5 Bolko von Hochberg, Schubert: "Doppelgänger"

by Heinrich Heine (1797 - 1856)
2. Nemesis
Language: English 
The night is calm, the avenues are quiet,
My sweet one lived in this house;
She has already left the city long ago,
The house certainly still stands, in the same place.

A man is standing there, too, staring up into space,
And powerfully wringing his hands in torment.
It horrifies me, when I see his countenance,
The moon shows me my own form.

You my fearful double, you pale partner!
Why do you ape the pain of my love,
That has tortured me here in this spot
So many a night, in times long ago?

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 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.
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This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 12
Word count: 96

Translation © by Michael P Rosewall
3. Der Atlas  [sung text not yet checked]
by Anton Eberhardt (1855 - 1922), "Der Atlas", op. 16 (Drei Lieder) no. 3
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Ich unglücksel'ger Atlas! eine Welt,
Die ganze Welt der Schmerzen muß ich tragen,
Ich trage Unerträgliches, und brechen
Will mir das Herz im Leibe.

Du stolzes Herz! du hast es ja gewollt,
Du wolltest glücklich seyn, unendlich glücklich
Oder unendlich elend, stolzes Herz,
Und jetzo bist du elend.

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Confirmed with Buch der Lieder von H. Heine. Hamburg bei Hoffmann und Campe. 1827, page 202; and with Reisebilder von H. Heine. Erster Theil. Hamburg, bey Hoffmann und Campe. 1826, page 28.


by Heinrich Heine (1797 - 1856)
3. Atlas
Language: English 
I, unblessed Atlas!
I carry a world, the entire world of pain,
I bear the unbearable,
And the heart within me wants to break.

Proud heart, you have wanted it thus!
You wanted to be happy, eternally happy,
Or eternally miserable, you proud heart,
And now you are miserable.

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 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: 

Based on:

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This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 8
Word count: 49

Translation © by Michael P Rosewall