I would like to pass on like the sunset

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by Georg Herwegh (1817 - 1875)

Translation © by Sharon Krebs

Todessehnsucht

(Sung text for setting by T. Billroth)

See original

Language: German (Deutsch)

Our translations: ENG POR RUS

Ich möchte hingehn wie das Abendrot
Und wie der Tag mit seinen letzten Gluten -
O leichter, sanfter, ungefühlter Tod!
Mich in den Schoß des Ewigen verbluten.

 ... 

Ich möchte hingehn wie der Tau im Tal,
Wenn durstig ihm des Morgens Feuer winken;
O wollte Gott, wie ihn der Sonnenstrahl,
Auch meine lebensmüde Seele trinken!

Ich möchte hingehn wie der heitre Stern,
Im vollsten Glanz, in ungeschwächtem Blinken,
So stille und so schmerzlos möchte gern
Ich in des Himmels blaue Tiefe sinken.

 ... 

Du wirst nicht hingehn wie das Abendrot,
Du wirst nicht stille wie der Stern versinken,
 ... 

 ... 
Sanft stirbt es einzig sich in der Natur,
Das arme Menschenherz muß stückweis brechen.

Note: the text above is taken from stanzas 1, 4, 2, 6 (lines 1-2), 7 (lines 3-4) of the original text.

Composition:

Theodor Billroth

Text Authorship:

by Georg Herwegh (1817 - 1875), no title, written 1839, appears in Gedichte eines Lebendigen, in Strofen aus der Fremde, no. 2

See other settings of this text.

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

ENG English (Sharon Krebs) , copyright © 2011, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
POR Portuguese (Português) (Margarida Moreno) , "Quero passar", copyright © 2011, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
RUS Russian (Русский) (Jelena Jermolajeva) , "Я хотел бы уйти. Строфы с чужбины - 2", copyright © 2011, (re)printed on this website with kind permission

Research team for this page: Emily Ezust [Administrator] , Johann Winkler

This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 28
Word count: 200

Yearning for death

(Sung text translation for setting by T. Billroth)

See original

Language: English after the German (Deutsch)

I would like to pass on like the sunset
And like the day with its last glowing -
Oh light, gentle, imperceptible death-
To bleed myself out into the bosom of eternity!

 ... 

I would like to pass on like the dew of the valley,
When the fires of morning thirstily signal to it -
Oh, would God, as the sunbeam drinks the dewdrop
Also drink my life-weary soul!

I would like to pass on like the bright star
In the full glow, in undimmed twinkling,
So quietly and painlessly would I gladly
Sink into the deep blue of heaven!

 ... 

You shall not pass on like the sunset,
You shall not pass on like the sinking of a star,
 ... 

 ... 
Solely in nature can dying be gentle,
The poor human heart must break piece by piece!

Note: the text above is taken from stanzas 1, 4, 2, 6 (lines 1-2), 7 (lines 3-4) of the original text.

Translated titles:
"Ich möchte hingehn wie das Abendroth" = "I would like to pass on like the sunset"
"Todessehnsucht" = "Yearning for death"
"Ich möchte hingehn" = "I would like to pass on"

Text Authorship:

Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2011 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 Georg Herwegh (1817 - 1875), no title, written 1839, appears in Gedichte eines Lebendigen, in Strofen aus der Fremde, no. 2
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This text was added to the website: 2011-04-28
Line count: 28
Word count: 236