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Sagt es niemand, nur den Weisen,
Weil die Menge gleich verhöhnet,
Das Lebend'ge will ich preisen,
Das nach Flammentod sich sehnet.
In der Liebesnächte Kühlung,
Die dich zeugte, wo du zeugtest,
Überfällt dich fremde Fühlung,
Wenn die stille Kerze leuchtet.
Nicht mehr bleibest du umfangen
In der Finsternis Beschattung,
Und dich reißet neu Verlangen
Auf zu höherer Begattung.
Keine Ferne macht dich schwierig,
Kommst geflogen und gebannt,
Und zuletzt, des Lichts begierig,
Bist du, Schmetterling, verbrannt.
Und so lang du das nicht hast,
Dieses: Stirb und werde!
Bist du nur ein trüber Gast
Auf der dunklen Erde.
...
Note: the text above is taken from stanzas 1-5 of the original text.
Composition:
- Set to music by Karl Friedrich Zelter (1758 - 1832), "Selige Sehnsucht", Z. 127 no. 4, published 1826, stanzas 1-5 [ bass and piano ], from Sechs deutsche Lieder für die Bass-Stimme mit Begleitung des Pianoforte, no. 4, Berlin: T. Trautwein
Text Authorship:
- by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749 - 1832), "Selige Sehnsucht", written 1814, appears in West-östlicher Divan, in 1. Buch des Sängers -- Moganni Nameh, first published 1816
See other settings of this text.
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- ENG English (Emily Ezust) , "Blissful yearning", copyright ©
- SPA Spanish (Español) (Rodrigo Ruiz) , "Bendito anhelo", copyright © 2022, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 24
Word count: 111
Tell this to no one but the wise,
for the masses will just ridicule it:
I would praise the living thing
that yearns for death in the flames.
In the cool hush of nights of love,
when you conceive as you were conceived,
a strange feeling overcomes you
when the quiet candle gleams.
No longer do you remain captive
in the darkness of these shadows;
and a new desire rips you
toward a loftier intercourse.
No distance can make you heavy:
you come flying and spellbound,
and at last, eager for the light,
poor moth, you are burned to death.
And so long as you have not attained it,
this, "Die and become!",
you will only be a gloomy guest
on this dark earth.
...
Note: the text above is taken from stanzas 1-5 of the original text.
Text Authorship:
- Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © by Emily Ezust, (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.
Based on:
- a text in German (Deutsch) by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749 - 1832), "Selige Sehnsucht", written 1814, appears in West-östlicher Divan, in 1. Buch des Sängers -- Moganni Nameh, first published 1816
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This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 24
Word count: 145