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Zu Augsburg steht ein hohes Haus, Nah bei dem alten Dom, Da tritt an hellem Morgen aus Ein Mägdelein gar fromm; Gesang erschallt, Zum Dome wallt Die liebe Gestalt. Dort vor Mariä heilig' Bild Sie betend niederkniet, Der Himmel hat ihr Herz erfüllt, Und alle Weltlust flieht: "O Jungfrau rein! Laß mich allein Dein eigen seyn!" Alsbald der Glocke dumpfer Klang Die Betenden erweckt, Das Mägdlein wallt die Hall' entlang, Es weiß nicht, was es trägt; Auf dem Haupte ganz Von Himmelsglanz Einen Liljenkranz. Mit Staunen sehen all' die Leut' Dieß Kränzlein licht im Haar, Das Mägdlein aber wallt nicht weit, Tritt vor den Hochaltar: "Zur Nonne weiht "Mich arme Maid! "Stirb, Lieb' und Freud'!" Gott, gib, daß dieses Mägdelein Ihr Kränzlein friedlich trag', Es ist die Allerliebste mein, Bleibt's bis zum jüngsten Tag. Sie weiß es nicht, Mein Herz zerbricht, Stirb, Lieb' und Licht!
Available sung texts: (what is this?)
• W. Goethe • K. Hetsch • W. Platz • R. Schumann • F. Silcher • L. SpohrAbout the headline (FAQ)
View text with all available footnotesConfirmed with Die lyrischen Gedichte von Justinus Kerner, Fünfte verbesserte Auflage, Stuttgart und Tübingen: J.G. Cotta'scher Verlag, 1854, pages 91-92.
Text Authorship:
- by Justinus (Andreas Christian) Kerner (1786 - 1862), "Stirb, Lieb' und Freud'!", appears in Gedichte, in Die lyrischen Gedichte [author's text checked 2 times 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 Walther von Goethe (1818 - 1885), "Stirb, Lieb' und Freud!", op. 7 (Sechs Lieder) no. 2, published 1841 [ voice and piano ], Bonn: N. Simrock [sung text checked 1 time]
- by Karl Ludwig Friedrich Hetsch (1806 - 1872), "Die Himmelsbraut", op. 23 (Drei Lieder) no. 2 [sung text checked 1 time]
- by Wilhelm Platz , "Die Himmelsbraut", published 1900, from Hundert Lieder, no. 36 [sung text checked 1 time]
- by Robert Schumann (1810 - 1856), "Stirb, Lieb' und Freud'", op. 35 no. 2 (1840), published 1841 [ voice and piano ], from Zwölf Gedichte von Justinus Kerner, no. 2, Leipzig, Klemm [sung text checked 1 time]
- by (Philipp) Friedrich Silcher (1789 - 1860), "Stirb' Lieb' und Freud", op. 14 no. 6, published c1830 [ four-part men's chorus a cappella ], from Zwölf Volkslieder für vier Männerstimmen, drittes Heft, no. 6, Tübingen: Heinrich Laupp'sche Buchhandlung [sung text checked 1 time]
- by Louis [Ludwig] Spohr (1784 - 1859), "Die Himmelsbraut", op. 105 no. 1 (1838) [sung text checked 1 time]
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- CAT Catalan (Català) (Salvador Pila) , "Moriu amor i joia!", copyright © 2014, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- CAT Catalan (Català) (Salvador Pila) , "Moriu amor i joia!", copyright © 2014, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- DUT Dutch (Nederlands) [singable] (Lau Kanen) , "Sterf, liefde, jij!", copyright © 2012, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- ENG English (Emily Ezust) , "In Augsburg stands a lofty house", copyright ©
- ENG English (Sharon Krebs) , copyright © 2025, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- FRE French (Français) (Pierre Mathé) , copyright © 2011, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- ITA Italian (Italiano) (Amelia Maria Imbarrato) , "Estinguiti, amore e gioia", copyright © 2006, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Research team for this page: Emily Ezust [Administrator] , Sharon Krebs [Senior Associate Editor], Melanie Trumbull
This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 35
Word count: 154
At Augsburg there stands a tall house, Close beside the old cathedral, Upon a bright morning, a devout maiden Comes forth from there; Singing rings out, To the cathedral processes The dear figure. There before St. Mary's holy image, She kneels down praying, Heaven has filled her heart, And all earthly joy vanishes: "O Virgin pure! Let me be solely Thine own!" Straightaway the dull tolling of the bell Wakens the prayerful ones, The maiden walks along the vaulted corridor, She does not know what she wears; Upon her head, utterly Full of heavenly radiance, A wreath of lilies. With awe all the people see This bright little wreath in her hair, But the maiden does not process far, She comes to stand before the high altar: "Dedicate me as nun, Me, the poor maiden! Perish, love and joy!" God grant that this maiden Wears her wreath in peace She is my dearest beloved, Shall remain so until the Day of Judgement. She does not know it, My heart is breaking, Perish, love and light!
About the headline (FAQ)
View text with all available footnotesTranslations of titles:
"Die Himmelsbraut" = "The bride of Heaven"
"Stirb, Lieb' und Freud'!" = "Perish, love and joy!"
Text Authorship:
- Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2025 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 Justinus (Andreas Christian) Kerner (1786 - 1862), "Stirb, Lieb' und Freud'!", appears in Gedichte, in Die lyrischen Gedichte
This text was added to the website: 2025-12-03
Line count: 35
Word count: 182