from Volkslieder (Folksongs)
Translation © by John Glenn Paton

Heimlicher Liebe Pein
 (Sung text for setting by C. Weber)
 See original
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Our translations:  CAT DUT ENG FIN FRE
Mein Schatz, der ist auf die Wanderschaft hin,
Ich weiß aber nicht, was ich so traurig bin,
Vielleicht ist er todt und liegt in guter Ruh,
Drum bring ich meine Zeit so traurig zu.

Als ich mit meinem Schatz in die Kirche wollte gehn,
Viel falsche falsche Zungen an der Thüre stehn,
Die eine redt dies, die and're redet das,
Das macht mir gar oft die Äuglein naß.

Die Disteln und die Dornen, die stechen also sehr,
Die falschen, falschen Zungen aber noch viel mehr,
Kein Feuer auf Erden auch brennet also heiß
Als heimliche Liebe, die niemand nicht weiß.

Ach herzliebster Schatz, ich bitte dich noch eins,
Du wollest auch bei meinem Begräbnis seyn,
Bei meinem Geleit  ...  ins kühle Grab,
Derweil ich dich so treu geliebet hab.

 ...

Note: the text above is taken from stanzas 1-4 of the original text.

Note: modernized German would change "todt" to "tot", "Thüre" to Türe", "seyn" to "sein", "gethan" to "getan".

Composition:

    Set to music by Carl Maria (Friedrich Ernst) von Weber (1786 - 1826), "Heimlicher Liebe Pein", op. 12, published 1868, stanzas 1-4 [ SATB chorus a cappella ], in Sammlung von Volksgesängen für den gemischten Chor (Ignaz Heim), no. 130

Text Authorship:

See other settings of this text.

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

  • CAT Catalan (Català) (Salvador Pila) , copyright © 2022, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
  • DUT Dutch (Nederlands) [singable] (Lau Kanen) , copyright © 2015, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
  • ENG English (John Glenn Paton) , copyright © 2004, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
  • FIN Finnish (Suomi) (Erkki Pullinen) , "Salaisen rakkauden tuska", copyright © 2010, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
  • FRE French (Français) (Pierre Mathé) , copyright © 2011, (re)printed on this website with kind permission


Research team for this page: Emily Ezust [Administrator] , John Glenn Paton [Guest Editor]

This text was added to the website: 2004-06-19
Line count: 20
Word count: 177

Language: English  after the German (Deutsch) 
My darling has gone wandering,
but I do not know why I am so sad;
perhaps he is dead and lies resting well,
that's why I spend my time being so sad.

When I wanted to go to the church (get married) with my darling,
many lying, lying tongues were around the door;
one said this, the other said that,
which brings tears to my eyes pretty often.

Thistles and thorns, they prick so badly,
but lying tongues prick even much worse.
No fire on earth burns as hot
as secret love that no one knows about.

Ah, dearest darling, I just ask you for one thing:
you should be at my burial,
at my burial in the cool grave,
because I loved you so truly.

 ...

Note: the text above is taken from stanzas 1-4 of the original text.

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2004 by John Glenn Paton, (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.
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Based on:

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This text was added to the website: 2004-06-19
Line count: 20
Word count: 157