English translations of Zwei Balladen von H. Heine, opus 11

by Moritz Weyermann (1832 - 1888)

1. Es war ein alter König  [sung text not yet checked]
by Moritz Weyermann (1832 - 1888), "Es war ein alter König", op. 11 (Zwei Balladen von H. Heine) no. 1, published 1869 [ tenor and piano ]
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Es war ein alter König,
sein Herz war schwer, sein [Haupt]1 war grau;
der arme alte König,
er nahm eine junge Frau.

Es war ein [schöner]2 Page,
blond war sein [Haupt]3, leicht war sein Sinn;
er trug die [seid'ne]4 Schleppe
der jungen Königin.

Kennst du das alte Liedchen?
Es klingt so süß, es klingt so trüb!
Sie mußten beide sterben,
sie hatten sich viel zu lieb.

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Confirmed with Neue Gedichte von H. Heine, Zweite Auflage, Hamburg, bei Hoffmann und Campe, 1844, page 28.

1 Diepenbrock: "Haar"
2 Schnorr von Carolsfeld, Zemlinsky: "junger"
3 Wolfrum: "Haar"
4 Goldschmidt: "seidene"

by Heinrich Heine (1797 - 1856)
1. There was an old king
Language: English 
 There was an old king,
 his heart was heavy, his head was gray;
 the poor, old king,
 he took a young wife.
 
 There was a handsome pageboy,
 blond was his hair, light was his manner;
 he carried the silk train
 of the young queen.
 
 Do you know this old song?
 It sounds so sweet, it sounds so troubled!
 They both had to die,
 for they loved each other too much.

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: 71

Translation © by Emily Ezust
2. Der Asra  [sung text not yet checked]
by Moritz Weyermann (1832 - 1888), "Der Asra", op. 11 (Zwei Balladen von H. Heine) no. 2, published 1869 [ tenor and piano ]
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)
2. 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