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Ach Gott, wie weh thut Scheiden! Hat mir mein Herz verwundt; So trab' ich über die Heiden Und traur' zu aller Stund, Der Stunden der sind also viel, Mein Herz trägt heimlich Leiden, Wiewol ich oft fröhlich bin. Hatt' mir ein Gärtlein bauet, Von Veil und grünem Klee, Ist mir zu früh erfroren, Thut meinem Herzen weh; Ist mir erfrorn bei Sonnenschein, Ein Kraut: Je länger je lieber, Ein Blümlein: Vergiß nicht mein. Das Blümlein das ich meine, Das ist von edler Art, Ist aller Tugend reine, Ihr Mündlein das ist zart, Ihr' Äuglein die sind hübsch und fein, Wann ich an sie gedenke, Wie gern ich bei ihr wollt' sein! Sollt meinen Buhlen aufgeben Als oft ein Andrer thut, Sollt führen ein fröhlich's Leben, Darzu ein' leichten Mut? Das kann und mag doch nicht gesein; Gesegn' dich Gott im Herzen! Es muß geschieden sein.
Available sung texts: (what is this?)
• J. Brahms • J. Brahms • J. Brahms • J. Brahms • P. Eben • L. Keller • H. von SahrP. Eben sets stanzas 1-3
L. Keller sets stanzas 1, 3-4
About the headline (FAQ)
View text with all available footnotesConfirmed with Deutsche Volkslieder gesammelt von Georg Scherer, Leipzig, Verlag von Gustav Mayer, 1851, pages 121-122.
Note: modern German would change the following spellings "thut" -> "tut", "Wiewol" -> "Wiewohl", etc.
Note provided by Johann Winkler for von Sahr's setting, which uses the word "erwegen" in stanza 4 line 1 (see below): Grimm dedicates more than 4 columns to this word. It has two different meanings: 1st: to make a decision, 2nd: to forego something. It seems likely the text means the 2nd alternative: "Should I forego my beloved ... in order to lead a merry (because unbound) life? ... No, that must not be." The word "erwehren", found in at least three scores (Brahms Eben, Keller), doesn't make any sense and was probably written by someone who didn't understand the word "erwegen", which flourished -- according to Grimm -- in the 16th century and disappeared in the 18th.
Text Authorship:
- from Volkslieder (Folksongs) , "Ach Gott, wie weh thut Scheiden!" [author's text checked 1 time against a primary source]
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Research team for this page: Emily Ezust [Administrator] , Malcolm Wren [Guest Editor] , Johann Winkler
This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 28
Word count: 161
Ah God, how painful is parting, It has wounded my heart, Therefore, I wander across the moors And lament at all hours. For far too many hours, My heart secretly bears sorrows, Though I often appear happy. I built myself a little garden, With violets and green clover, Which, for me, froze too early, Bringing grief to my heart. For me, frozen in the sunshine, Was an herb, honeysuckle, A little flower, forget-me-not. The little flower that I refer to Is a noble one Having the purest virtue, Her tiny mouth is so tender, Her little eyes are handsome and fine. When I think about her, How much I would love to be with her! If my love should resist me As others often have, Should I pursue a carefree life Affecting a lighthearted attitude? That cannot and must not be, God bless your heart, We must be parted.
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View text with all available footnotesText Authorship:
- Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2022 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.
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Based on:
- a text in German (Deutsch) from Volkslieder (Folksongs) , "Ach Gott, wie weh thut Scheiden!"
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This text was added to the website: 2022-08-26
Line count: 28
Word count: 150