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Auf den schimmernden Lagunen Wiegt der Kahn sich mit dem Schiffer, Tändelnd bald und bald sich bäumend In des Wassers Wellenspiele; Da ertönt das Lied der Lieder Zu der weichen Mandoline, Jedes Lüftchen giebt es wieder: "Non son rose senza spine." Hat der Schiffer in der Gondel Seine schönste Last geladen, Rudert er mit kräft'gen Armen Durch die Wellen die Madonna; Dann ergreift ihn süßes Bangen, Und er singt mit ernster Miene Leise Thränen auf den Wangen: "Non son rose senza spine." Hebt er schweigend die Madonna Aus der Gondel, und verschwindet Sie im schimmernden Palaste, Keinen Gruß dem Schiffer flüsternd, Dann besteigt er seinen Nachen, Singt zur weichen Mandoline Lang' in träumerischem Wachen: "Non son rose senza spine."
About the headline (FAQ)
View text with all available footnotesConfirmed with Deutsche Lieder von C. O. Sternau, Köln: Welter's Buchhandlung (Bäumer & Stienen), 1846, pages 40-41.
Text Authorship:
- by Otto Inkermann (1823 - 1862), as C. O. Sternau, "Keine Rosen ohne Dornen", appears in Deutsche Lieder, in Italienische Lieder, no. 1 [author's text checked 2 times against a primary source]
Based on:
- a text in Italian (Italiano) by Anonymous/Unidentified Artist [text unavailable]
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
- by Ferdinand Gumbert (1818 - 1896), "Non son rose senza (Keine Rosen ohne Dornen)", op. 20 (Zwei Lieder aus Italien, von Heine, für Sopran oder Tenor) no. 2, published 1847 [ soprano or tenor and piano ], Berlin, Schlesinger [sung text checked 1 time]
- by Vinzenz Lachner (1811 - 1893), "Keine Rosen ohne Dornen", op. 13 (6 Lieder) no. 1 [ voice and piano ] [sung text checked 1 time]
- by Oskar Pasch (1844 - 1922), "Non son rose senza spine", op. 11 (Sechs Lieder für Sopran, Alt, Tenor und Bass), Heft 1 no. 2, published 1880 [ satb chorus ], Berlin: Sulzbach [sung text not yet checked]
- by (Joseph) Joachim Raff (1822 - 1882), "Non son rose senza spine", op. 50 (2 italienische Lieder) no. 1 (1849), published 1852 [ baritone or alto and piano ] [sung text not yet checked]
- by Elise Schmezer (1810 - 1856), "Gondoliera (Keine Rosen ohne Dornen)", op. 10 (Vier Lieder für hohe Stimme) no. 1, published 1850; 1853 [ high voice and piano ], Berlin, Damköhler [sung text not yet checked]
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- ENG English (Sharon Krebs) , copyright © 2026, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Research team for this page: Emily Ezust [Administrator] , Sharon Krebs [Senior Associate Editor], Andrew Schneider [Guest Editor] , Johann Winkler
This text was added to the website: 2008-10-18
Line count: 24
Word count: 122
Upon the shimmering lagoons The barque is rocking with its boatman, At times trifling and at times rearing up In the play of the water's waves; Then the song of songs rings out To the soft tones of his mandolin, Every little breeze echoes it: "There are no roses without thorns." When the gondolier has taken His loveliest burden into the gondola, With powerful arms he rows The Madonna through the waves; Then he is gripped by sweet anxiety, And, quiet tears upon his cheeks, With solemn mien he sings: "There are no roses without thorns." When silently he lifts the Madonna From the gondola, and when she vanishes Into the shimmering palazzo, Whispering no greeting to the boatman, Then he boards his barque, And for a long time in his dreamy watches He sings to the soft tones of his mandolin: "There are no roses without thorns."
About the headline (FAQ)
View text with all available footnotesTranslations of titles:
"Gondoliera (Keine Rosen ohne Dornen)" = "Gondoliera (No roses without thorns)"
"Keine Rosen ohne Dornen" = "No roses without thorns"
"Non son rose senza (Keine Rosen ohne Dornen)" = "Non son rose senza (There are no roses without thorns)"
"Non son rose senza spine" = "There are no roses without thorns"
Text Authorship:
- Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2026 by Sharon 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 Otto Inkermann (1823 - 1862), as C. O. Sternau, "Keine Rosen ohne Dornen", appears in Deutsche Lieder, in Italienische Lieder, no. 1
Based on:
- a text in Italian (Italiano) by Anonymous/Unidentified Artist [text unavailable]
This text was added to the website: 2026-01-19
Line count: 24
Word count: 150