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English translations of Vier Lieder, opus 55

by F. L. von Plessen

1. Und wüßten's die Blumen, die kleinen  [sung text not yet checked]
by F. L. von Plessen , "Und wüßten's die Blumen, die kleinen", op. 55 (Vier Lieder) no. 2
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Und wüßten's die Blumen, die kleinen,
Wie tief verwundet mein Herz,
Sie würden mit mir weinen,
Zu heilen meinen Schmerz.

Und wüßten's die Nachtigallen,
Wie ich so traurig und krank,
Sie ließen fröhlich erschallen
Erquickenden Gesang.

Und wüßten sie mein Wehe,
Die [goldnen]1 Sternelein,
Sie kämen aus ihrer Höhe,
Und sprächen Trost mir ein.

[Die]2 alle können's nicht wissen,
Nur [eine]3 kennt meinen Schmerz;
[Sie]4 hat ja selbst zerrissen,
Zerrissen mir das Herz.

Text Authorship:

  • by Heinrich Heine (1797 - 1856), no title, appears in Buch der Lieder, in Lyrisches Intermezzo, no. 22

See other settings of this text.

View original text (without footnotes)

Confirmed with Heinrich Heine, Buch der Lieder, Hoffmann und Campe, Hamburg, 1827, page 128.

Note: Christian Jost's setting begins "Zerrissen mir das Herz" (the last line) and then follows the rest of the text.

1 Jost, Schumann: "goldenen"
2 André, Jost, Schumann: "Sie"
3 Hensel: "einer"
4 Hensel: "Er"

by Heinrich Heine (1797 - 1856)
1. And if the blooms - the small ones - knew
Language: English 
And if the blooms - the small ones - knew
How deeply wounded is my heart,
They would weep with me
To heal my pain.

And if the nightingales knew
How sad and ill I am,
They would let forth merrily
A refreshing song.

And if they knew my woe -
The little golden stars -
They would come down from their heights
And speak their consolation to me.

But all of them could not know this,
Only one knows my pain;
She herself has indeed torn,
Torn my heart in two.

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © by Paul Hindemith, (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 Heinrich Heine (1797 - 1856), no title, appears in Buch der Lieder, in Lyrisches Intermezzo, no. 22
    • Go to the text page.

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This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 16
Word count: 88

Translation © by Paul Hindemith
2. Du bist wie eine Blume  [sung text not yet checked]
by F. L. von Plessen , "Du bist wie eine Blume", op. 55 (Vier Lieder) no. 3
Language: German (Deutsch) 
  Du bist wie eine Blume
[So hold und schön und rein;]1
Ich [schau']2 dich an, und Wehmut
Schleicht mir ins Herz hinein.

  Mir ist, als [ob ich]3 die Hände
Aufs Haupt [dir]4 legen sollt',
[Betend]5, daß [Gott dich]6 erhalte
[So rein und schön und hold]7.

Text Authorship:

  • by Heinrich Heine (1797 - 1856), no title, appears in Buch der Lieder, in Die Heimkehr, no. 47, first published 1825

See other settings of this text.

View original text (without footnotes)

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 136.

1 Ander: "So schön, so rein und hold"; Chadwick: "So schön, so hold, so rein"; Mayer: "So hold, so schön und rein"; Becker, Thuille: "So hold, so schön, so rein"; Unger: "So rein so schön und hold"
2 Becker: "seh'"
3 Hinrichs: "ob"
4 Hinrichs: "ich dir"
5 Dreyschock: "und beten"
6 Liszt: "dich Gott"
7 Ander: "So hold und schön und rein"; Chadwick, Thuille: "So schön, so hold, so rein"; Mayer: "So rein, so schön und hold"; Becker: "So rein, so schön, so hold"

by Heinrich Heine (1797 - 1856)
2. Thou art, as is a flower
Language: English 
Thou art, as is a flower,
so meek and pure and fine,
I look at thee and sadness
steals o'er the heart of mine.

I feel that both my hands softly
thy hair, thy head should seek,
praying that God may preserve thee
so pure and fine and meek.

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2009 by Bertram Kottmann, (re)printed on this website with kind permission. To reprint and distribute this author's work for concert programs, CD booklets, etc., you must ask the copyright-holder(s) directly for permission. If you receive no response, you must consider it a refusal.

    Bertram Kottmann.  Contact: BKottmann (AT) t-online.de

    If you wish to commission a new translation, please contact: licenses@email.lieder.example.net

Based on:

  • a text in German (Deutsch) by Heinrich Heine (1797 - 1856), no title, appears in Buch der Lieder, in Die Heimkehr, no. 47, first published 1825
    • Go to the text page.

Go to the general single-text view


This text was added to the website: 2009-08-10
Line count: 8
Word count: 49

Translation © by Bertram Kottmann
3. Du schönes Fischermädchen  [sung text not yet checked]
by F. L. von Plessen , "Du schönes Fischermädchen", op. 55 (Vier Lieder) no. 4
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Du schönes Fischermädchen,
Treibe den Kahn an's Land;
Komm zu [mir und setze]1 dich nieder,
Wir kosen Hand in Hand.

Leg' an mein Herz dein Köpfchen,
Und fürchte dich nicht [zu]2 sehr,
[Vertrau'st du dich]3 doch [sorglos]4
Täglich dem wilden Meer.

Mein Herz gleicht ganz dem Meere,
Hat Sturm und Ebb' und Fluth,
Und manche schöne Perle
In seiner Tiefe ruht.5

Text Authorship:

  • by Heinrich Heine (1797 - 1856), no title, written 1824, appears in Buch der Lieder, in Die Heimkehr, no. 8, first published 1824

See other settings of this text.

View original text (without footnotes)

Confirmed with Buch der Lieder von H. Heine. Hamburg bei Hoffmann und Campe. 1827, page 186; and with Reisebilder von H. Heine. Erster Theil. Hamburg, bey Hoffmann und Campe. 1826, page 12.

First published as number XII 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. Sonnabend den 27. März. 50stes Blatt, page 246.

1 Meyerbeer: "mir, setz"
2 André, Dresel: "so"
3 Dresel: "Trauest du"
4 Mendel: "täglich"
5 Meyerbeer adds:
Komm! Komm!
Du schönes Fischermädchen, komm, komm,
Wir kosen Hand in Hand.
Komm! Komm! Komm!

by Heinrich Heine (1797 - 1856)
3. You beautiful fishermaiden
Language: English 
You beautiful fishermaiden,
Pull your boat toward shore;
Come to me and sit down,
We will speak of love, hand in hand.

Lay your little head on my heart,
And do not be too frightened;
Indeed, you trust yourself fearlessly
Daily to the wild sea!

My heart is just like the sea,
Having storms and ebb and flow,
And many beautiful pearls
Rest in its depths.

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: licenses@email.lieder.example.net

Based on:

  • a text in German (Deutsch) by Heinrich Heine (1797 - 1856), no title, written 1824, appears in Buch der Lieder, in Die Heimkehr, no. 8, first published 1824
    • Go to the text page.

Go to the general single-text view


This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 12
Word count: 66

Translation © by Michael P Rosewall
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