English translations of Liebesleiden : Gedichte von H. Heine, opus 21

by Johann Vesque von Püttlingen (1803 - 1883)

1. Gleichgültigkeit
 (Sung text)
by Johann Vesque von Püttlingen (1803 - 1883), "Gleichgültigkeit", op. 21 no. 1, published 1840
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Sie haben mich gequälet,
Geärgert blau und blaß,
Die einen mit ihrer Liebe,
Die andern mit ihrem Haß.

Sie haben das Brot mir vergiftet,
Sie gossen mir Gift ins Glas,
Die einen mit ihrer Liebe,
Die andern mit ihrem Haß.

Doch sie, die mich am meisten
Gequälet, geärgert, betrübt,
Die hat mich nie gehasset,
Und hat mich nie geliebt.

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by Heinrich Heine (1797 - 1856)
1. Indifference
Language: English 
They tormented me,
Drove me to melancholy and sickness,
Some with their love,
The others with their hate.

They tainted my bread,
They poured poison into my glass,
Some with their love,
The others with their hate.

Yet she, who most
Tormented, annoyed and saddened me,
Never hated me
And never loved me.

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2023 by Iain Sneddon, (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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Translations of title(s):
"Gleichgültigkeit" = "Indifference"
"Hass und Liebe" = "Hate and Love"
"Liebe und Haß" = "Love and Hate"
"Sie haben mich gequälet" = "They tormented me"



This text was added to the website: 2023-01-02
Line count: 12
Word count: 53

Translation © by Iain Sneddon
2. Das Schattenbild
 (Sung text)
by Johann Vesque von Püttlingen (1803 - 1883), "Das Schattenbild", op. 21 no. 2, published 1840, from Die Heimkehr : 88 Gedichte aus H. Heine's Reisebildern, no. 60
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Sie haben heut' abend Gesellschaft
Und das Haus ist lichterfüllt.
Dort oben an jenem Fenster
Bewegt sich ein Schattenbild.

Du siehst mich nicht, im Dunkeln
Steh' ich hier unten allein,
Noch weniger kannst du schauen
In mein dunkles Herz hinein.

Mein dunkles Herze liebt dich,
Es liebt dich und es bricht,
Und bricht und zuckt und verblutet,
Aber du siehst es nicht.

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by Heinrich Heine (1797 - 1856)
2. They have company tonight
Language: English 
 They have company tonight,
 and the house is full of light.
 Up there at the high window
 moves a shadowy figure.
 
 You do not see me; in the dark
 here below, I stand alone.
 Even less can you see
 into my dark heart.
 
 My dark heart loves you,
 it loves you and it breaks;
 it breaks and twitches and bleeds,
 but you see none of this.

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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This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 12
Word count: 67

Translation © by Emily Ezust
3. Das Eine Wort
 (Sung text)
by Johann Vesque von Püttlingen (1803 - 1883), "Das Eine Wort", op. 21 no. 3, published 1840
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Ich wollt, meine Schmerzen ergössen
Sich all in ein einziges Wort,
Das gäb ich den lustigen Winden,
Die trügen es lustig fort.

Sie tragen zu dir, Geliebte,
Das schmerzerfüllte Wort;
Du hörst es zu jeder Stunde,
Du hörst es an jedem Ort.

Und hast du zum nächtlichen Schlummer
Geschlossen die Augen kaum,
So wird dich mein Wort verfolgen
Bis in den tiefsten Traum.

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Note: in Zenger's score, the first time we reach stanza 1, line 2, word 5, it is "einzig", and "einziges" in the repetition.

by Heinrich Heine (1797 - 1856)
3. I wish my pain would flow into a single word
Language: English 
I wish my [pain]1 would flow
Into a single word,
Which I'd give to the [merry]2 winds,
Who would carry it merrily along.

They would carry it to you, my beloved, 
The [pain-filled]3 word;
You hear it always,
You hear it everywhere.

And scarcely have you closed your eyes 
To night-time slumbers,
My [word]4 will follow you,
Into your deepest dream.

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © by Siân Goldthorpe and Christian Stein, (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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View text without footnotes
1 Mendelssohn: "love"
2 or "airy" (for "luft'gen")
3 Mendelssohn: "love-filled"
4 Mendelssohn: "image"


This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 12
Word count: 65

Translation © by Siân Goldthorpe, Christian Stein