Light breezes, gentle sweetness

Attention! Some of this material is not in the public domain.

It is illegal to copy and distribute our copyright-protected material without permission. It is also illegal to reprint copyright texts or translations without the name of the author or translator.

To inquire about permissions and rates, contact Emily Ezust at licenses@email.lieder.example.net

If you wish to reprint translations, please make sure you include the names of the translators in your email. They are below each translation.

Note: You must use the copyright symbol © when you reprint copyright-protected material.

by Ernst Friedrich Georg Otto, Freiherr von der Malsburg (1786 - 1824)

Translation © by Harald Krebs

Leichte Lüfte, linde, süße

Language: German (Deutsch)

Our translations: ENG

Leichte Lüfte, linde, süße,
  Wehend sanft im Haine:
Bringt ihr von der Liebsten Grüße,
  Oder holt ihr meine?

Wollt ihr von der Holden sagen,
  Wie sie mein gedenke,
Wie sie sich in stillen Klagen
  Meinethalb versenke?

Oder gibt das milde Fächeln
  Süßer Worte Kunde,
Ausgehaucht mit leisem Lächeln,
  Und den Schalk im Munde?

Fliegt mit euren leichten Schwingen
  Nur von Ort zu Orte!
Weiß ich doch, ihr müßt mir bringen
  Grüße, Klagen, Worte!

Könntet ihr zum Weh'n nur taugen,
  Leerer Hauche Schatten!
Würd' ich euch so in mich saugen,
  So vor Lust ermatten?

Wozu glaubt ihr, daß ich Lieder
  Euch vertrau, und Klagen,
Als um zur Geliebten wieder
  Schnell sie hinzutragen?

Available sung texts: (what is this?)

• J. Lang

J. Lang sets stanzas 1-2, 4, 6

About the headline (FAQ)

View text with all available footnotes

Confirmed with P.C., Ernst Friedrich Georg Otto's von der Malsburg Poetischer Nachlaß und Umrisse aus seinem innern Leben, Cassel: In Commission bei J.J. Bohné, 1825, pages 123-124.

Text Authorship:

by Ernst Friedrich Georg Otto, Freiherr von der Malsburg (1786 - 1824), "Luft", appears in Poetischer Nachlaß und Umrisse aus seinem innern Leben, in Vermischte Gedichte, in Vier Lieder, no. 1 [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 Josephine Lang (1815 - 1880), "Lied", op. 2 (Sechs teutsche [sic] Lieder) no. 4 (<<1834), published 1834, stanzas 1-2,4,6 [ voice and piano ], München, Falter und Sohn, note: first published without an opus number; designated by Lang in 1867 as op. 2 [sung text checked 1 time]

Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):

ENG English (Harald Krebs) , copyright © 2011, (re)printed on this website with kind permission

Researcher for this page: Sharon Krebs [Senior Associate Editor]

This text was added to the website: 2006-06-25
Line count: 24
Word count: 115

Light breezes, gentle sweetness

Language: English after the German (Deutsch)

Light breezes, gentle sweetness
  Blowing softly in the grove,
Do you bring greetings from my beloved,
  Or do you come to fetch mine?

Are you trying to tell me
  How the lovely one thinks of me,
How she immerses herself,
  In soft laments because of me?

Or does the gentle fanning bring
  Tidings of sweet words,
Breathed with a quiet smile,
  And a roguish expression on her lips?

Fly with your light wings
  From place to place;
I know that you must bring me
  Greetings, laments, words.

If you were only good for blowing,
  You breaths of empty shadows,
Would I inhale you thus,
  Would I thus languish in passion?

For what reason do you think
  I entrust you with songs and laments,
Other than to carry them
  Quickly back to my beloved?

About the headline (FAQ)

View text with all available footnotes

Translations of titles
"Lied" = "Song"
"Luft" = "Air"

Text Authorship:

Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2011 by Harald 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.
Contact: licenses@email.lieder.example.net

Based on:

a text in German (Deutsch) by Ernst Friedrich Georg Otto, Freiherr von der Malsburg (1786 - 1824), "Luft", appears in Poetischer Nachlaß und Umrisse aus seinem innern Leben, in Vermischte Gedichte, in Vier Lieder, no. 1
- Go to the text page.

This text was added to the website: 2006-06-25
Line count: 24
Word count: 136