by Christian Reinhold (1813 - 1856)
Translation © by Sharon Krebs

O wärst du da
 (Sung text for setting by J. Lang)
 See original
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Our translations:  ENG
"Die Sonne kam im reinsten Glanze,
Ach, wie ich's nur mit halben Auge sah!
Nach Dir Geliebter schmerzlich schweift das ganze!
O wärst Du da!

Wie hold der Morgenwind erzählet!
Die Vögel dort am Brunnen singen mir;
Sie rufen mir:  Was ist’s noch, das Dir fehlet?–
O wärst Du hier!

Ich bin so froh.  Die Zeit der Wonne,
Da Du auf ewig mein wirst, kommt schon nah.
O stieg' sie schon, des Tages Zaubersonne!
O wärst schon da!

So irr’ ich nun in sel’gen Träumen,
Und, was ich thue, thu’ ich einzig Dir.
Du bist’s, Du schwebst um mich in allen Räumen,
Bist tief in mir!

Und doch will ich Dir’s nicht verhehlen:
Bis ich Dich hör’ und seh lebendig nah
Und küssen kann, wird mir doch Alles fehlen,–
O wärst Du da!"
There are two manuscript copies of this unpublished poem: one in Marbach (Christian Reinhold Köstlin’s poetry manuscripts, Z 4131, poem 157, Deutsches Literaturarchiv, Marbach, Germany) and one in Stuttgart (Christian Reinhold Köstlin’s poetry manuscripts, Cod.hist. 4º 437, Fasz. 10a Nr. 2, poem 7 [9], Württembergische Landesbibliothek, Stuttgart, Germany). Lang’s setting is based on "her" copy (i.e., the one sent to her by Köstlin), which is held in Stuttgart.
Note: The poem is in quotation marks and in a feminine voice because Köstlin based it on the contents of a letter than Lang wrote to him.

Composition:

    Set to music by Josephine Lang (1815 - 1880), "O wärst du da", op. 12 (Sechs Lieder) no. 4 (1841), published 1845 [ voice and piano ], Leipzig, Kistner

Text Authorship:

  • by Christian Reinhold (1813 - 1856), "Ach wärst Du da! (in the Stuttgart manuscript)", written 1841

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

  • ENG English (Sharon Krebs) , copyright © 2006, (re)printed on this website with kind permission


Research team for this page: Emily Ezust [Administrator] , Sharon Krebs [Senior Associate Editor]

This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 20
Word count: 135

Language: English  after the German (Deutsch) 
"The sun arose in the purest effulgence,
Ah, how I only half saw it!
Toward you, beloved, all about me moves painfully!
Oh, if you were here!

How gracefully the morning wind parleys with me!
The birds there at the well sing to me;
They call out to me:  What is it that you lack?-
Oh, if you were here!

I am so glad. The time of joy,
When you shall become mine forever, already nears.
Oh, if it would only rise already, the magical sun of that day!
Oh, if you were already here!

Thus I wander aimlessly about, lost in happy dreams,
And everything I do, I do for you alone.
You are my all, you waft around me everywhere,
You are deep within me!

And yet I do not wish to conceal it from you:
Until I can hear and see you in the flesh before me,
And can kiss you, I shall lack everything,-
Oh, if you were here!"

Translated titles:
"Ach wärst du da" = "Ah, if you were here"
"O wärst du da" = "Oh, if you were here"

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2006 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.


Based on:

Go to the general single-text view


This text was added to the website: 2006-11-26
Line count: 20
Word count: 164