If Fortune with a smiling face Strew roses on our way, When shall we stoop to pick them up? To-day, my love, to-day. But should she frown with face of care, And talk of coming sorrow, When shall we grieve, if grieve we must? To-morrow, love, to-morrow. If those who've wrong'd us own their faults, And kindly pity pray, When shall we listen and forgive? To-day, my love, to-day. But, if stern Justice urge rebuke, And warmth from Memory borrow, When shall we chide -- if chide we dare? To-morrow, love, to-morrow. If those to whom we owe a debt Are harmed unless we pay, When shall we struggle to be just? To-day, my love, to-day. But if our debtor fail our hope And plead his ruin thorough, When shall we weigh his breach of faith? To-morrow, love, to-morrow. If Love, estranged, should once again Her genial smile display, When shall we kiss her proffered lips? To-day, my love, to-day. But, if she would indulge regret, Or dwell with bygone sorrow, When shall we weep -- if weep we must? To-morrow, love, to-morrow. For virtuous acts and harmless joys The minutes will not stay; We've always time to welcome them, To-day, my love, to-day. But care, resentment, angry words, And unavailing sorrow, Come far too soon, if they appear To-morrow, love, to-morrow.
Confirmed with Charles Mackay, Egeria, or the Spirit of Nature; and other Poems, London: David Bogue, 1850, pages 72 - 74.
Authorship:
- by Charles Mackay (1814 - 1889), "Procrastinations", appears in Egeria, or the Spirit of Nature; and other Poems [author's text checked 1 time against a primary source]
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
- by Franz Petersilea (d. 1878), "Procrastinations" [sung text not yet checked]
Settings in other languages, adaptations, or excerpts:
- Also set in German (Deutsch), a translation by Conrad Ferdinand Meyer (1825 - 1898) , no title, written 1866, first published 1870 ; composed by Franz Wilhelm Abt.
Researcher for this page: Melanie Trumbull
This text was added to the website: 2021-05-25
Line count: 40
Word count: 220
Wenn uns das Glück in leichtem Lauf Und lächelnd Blüten streut, Wann heben wir die Rosen auf? Schon heute, Lieb, schon heut! Doch blickt das Leben kummervoll Und redet es von Sorgen, So denn getrauert werden soll -- Erst morgen, Lieb, erst morgen! Wenn Einer, der uns Unrecht thut, Die Hand versöhnend beut, Wann werden wir ihm wieder gut? Schon heute, Lieb, schon heut! Muß Einem streng vergolten sein, Heut sei er noch geborgen, Und muß einmal gescholten sein -- Erst morgen, Lieb, erst morgen!
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View text with all available footnotesConfirmed with Conrad Ferdinand Meyers Briefwechsel, vierte Teilband, erste Band, Göttingen: Wallstein Verlag, 2014, page 58. Appears in Verlagskorrespondenz, in Verlagsbriefwechsel. Written in a letter by Meyer dated 1866. This was later published, after this exchange of letters, in Meyer's Romanzen und Bilder dated 1870. Only two stanzas were translated.
Note: in catalogs, the incipit for Abt's musical setting is given as "Wenn's Glück mit lächelndem Gesicht" but the title matches the last line of each stanza above. Abt may have used an entirely different translation; if we discover more information, we will update this page.
Authorship:
- by Conrad Ferdinand Meyer (1825 - 1898), no title, written 1866, first published 1870 [author's text checked 1 time against a primary source]
Based on:
- a text in English by Charles Mackay (1814 - 1889), "Procrastinations", appears in Egeria, or the Spirit of Nature; and other Poems
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
- by Franz Wilhelm Abt (1819 - 1885), "Erst Morgen Lieb', erst Morgen", op. 307 (3 Lieder für eine Singstimme mit Pianoforte) no. 1, published 1866 [ voice and piano ], Offenbach, André ; note: this may be the wrong text for this setting [sung text not yet checked]
Researcher for this page: Melanie Trumbull
This text was added to the website: 2021-05-25
Line count: 16
Word count: 83