English translations of Drei Lieder für eine tiefe Stimme mit Begleitung des Pianoforte, opus 86

by Ferdinand Sieber (1822 - 1895)

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1. Wehmuth  [sung text not yet checked]
by Ferdinand Sieber (1822 - 1895), "Wehmuth", op. 86 (Drei Lieder für eine tiefe Stimme mit Begleitung des Pianoforte) no. 1, published 1874 [ low voice and piano ], Cassel, Luckhardt
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Erwin
 Ihr verblühet, süße Rosen,
 Meine Liebe trug euch nicht;
 Blühet, ach! dem Hoffnungslosen,
 Dem der Gram die Seele bricht!

 [Jener Tage denk' ich  trauernd,
 Als ich, Engel, an dir hing,
 Auf das erste Knöspchen lauernd
 Früh zu meinem Garten ging;]1

 Alle Blüten, alle Früchte
 Noch zu deinen Füßen trug
 Und vor deinem Angesichte
 [Hoffnung in dem]2 Herzen schlug.

 Ihr verblühet, süße Rosen,
 Meine Liebe trug euch nicht;
 Blühtet, ach! dem Hoffnungslosen,
 Dem der Gram die Seele bricht.

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Confirmed with Goethe's Werke nach den vorzüglichsten Quellen revidirte Ausgabe, Dritter Theil, Gedichte, herausgegeben und mit Anmerkungen begleitet von Dr. Fr. Strehlke, Berlin, Gustav Hempel, 1868, pages 74-75. Note: we have corrected the typo in stanza 1, line 3, word 1 : in many early editions, this was "blühtet", but most editions of his works published after 1852 (possibly earlier) indicate this correction, cf. Goethe's Liebe und Liebesgedichte, Berlin, Allgemeine Deutsche Verlags-Anstalt, 1852, page 147.

Note: in Perfall's score, there are two typos: stanza 2, line 4, word 5 is "hin" instead of "ging"; and stanza 3, line 4, word 5 is "trug" instead of "schlug".

1 Hensel: 
 Der auf erste Knöspchen lauernd
 früh zu seinem Garten ging,
 ach der Tage denk ich trauernd,
 als ich Engel an dir hing.
2 Hensel: "Hoffnung mir im"

by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749 - 1832)
1.
Language: English 
Erwin
 You are wilting, sweet roses -
 my love could not sustain you.
 Bloom for hopelessness then,
 for he whose soul is breaking from sorrow! 

 I think mournfully of those days
 when I hung on you, angel,
 waiting for your first little bud
 and going to my garden early;

 Every blossom, every fruit
 I carried to your feet;
 and before your countenance,
 hope throbbed in my heart.

 You are wilting, sweet roses -
 my love could not sustain you.
 Bloom for hopelessness then,
 for he whose soul is breaking from sorrow!

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © by Emily Ezust

    Emily Ezust permits her translations to be reproduced without prior permission for printed (not online) programs to free-admission concerts only, provided the following credit is given:

    Translation copyright © by Emily Ezust,
    from the LiederNet Archive

    For any other purpose, please write to the e-mail address below to request permission and discuss possible fees.


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Translation of title "Zur Rosenzeit" = "To the time of roses"
Translation of Fanny Mendelssohn's closing stanza: 
Bloom for him who waits for your first bud,
going to his garden early;
alas, I think mournfully of those days
when I hung on you, my angel.


This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 17
Word count: 89

Translation © by Emily Ezust
2. Der schwere Abend  [sung text not yet checked]
by Ferdinand Sieber (1822 - 1895), "Der schwere Abend", op. 86 (Drei Lieder für eine tiefe Stimme mit Begleitung des Pianoforte) no. 2, published 1874 [ low voice and piano ], Cassel, Luckhardt
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Die [dunklen]1 Wolken hingen
Herab so bang und schwer,
Wir beide traurig gingen
Im Garten hin und her.

So [heiß und]2 stumm, so trübe
[Und]3 sternlos war die Nacht,
So ganz, wie unsre Liebe,
Zu Tränen nur gemacht.

Und als ich mußte scheiden
Und gute Nacht [dir]4 bot,
Wünscht' ich bekümmert beiden
Im Herzen uns den Tod.

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Confirmed with Gedichte von Nicolaus Lenau, Stuttgart, Karl Göpel's Verlag, Cotta'scher Druck, 1869, page 182.

1 Bolko von Hochberg, Rübner: "dunkeln"; Horn: "trüben"; Schleuning: "schweren"; further changes may exist not shown above.
2 Bolko von Hochberg: "heiß, so"
3 Bolko von Hochberg, Thuille: "So"
4 Thuille: "ihr"

by Nikolaus Lenau (1802 - 1850)
2. The oppressive evening
Language: English 
The dark clouds were hanging down
So forebodingly and heavily.
We two walked sadly to and fro
In the garden.

So hot and silent, so dreary
And starless was the night --
Just like our love,
Created only for tears.

And when I had to depart
And wished you good night,
In my sorrowing heart
I sadly wished death for us both.

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2008 by Sharon Krebs, (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: 2008-01-09
Line count: 12
Word count: 61

Translation © by Sharon Krebs
3. Frage nicht   [sung text not yet checked]
by Ferdinand Sieber (1822 - 1895), "Frage nicht ", op. 86 (Drei Lieder für eine tiefe Stimme mit Begleitung des Pianoforte) no. 3, published 1874 [ low voice and piano ], Cassel, Luckhardt
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Wie sehr ich dein, soll ich dir sagen?
Ich weiß es nicht und will nicht fragen:
Mein Herz behalte seine Kunde,
Wie [tief]1 es dein im Grunde.

O still! ich möchte sonst erschrecken,
Könnt' ich die Stelle nicht entdecken,
Die unzerstört für Gott verbliebe
Beim Tode deiner Liebe.

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1 Franz: "sehr"

by Nikolaus Lenau (1802 - 1850)
3.
Language: English 
How very much I am yours - should I tell you?
I do not know and do not even wish to ask:
My heart guards the secret
Of just how deep its love is for you.

Oh hush! for I would be terrified
If I could not find a place [in my heart]
That would remain intact for God alone,
If your own love were to die.

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2015 by Emily Ezust

    Emily Ezust permits her translations to be reproduced without prior permission for printed (not online) programs to free-admission concerts only, provided the following credit is given:

    Translation copyright © by Emily Ezust,
    from the LiederNet Archive

    For any other purpose, please write to the e-mail address below to request permission and discuss possible fees.


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Translation of title "Frage nicht" = "Do not ask"


This text was added to the website: 2015-11-29
Line count: 8
Word count: 66

Translation © by Emily Ezust