by Friedrich Rückert (1788 - 1866)
Translation © by Emily Ezust

Liebst du um Schönheit
 (Sung text for setting by G. Mahler)
 See original
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Our translations:  CAT CHI DUT ENG FIN FRE FRE ITA NOR POR POR SPA SWE
Liebst du um Schönheit,
O nicht mich liebe! 
Liebe die Sonne,
Sie trägt ein gold'nes Haar!

Liebst du um Jugend,
O nicht mich liebe!
Liebe den Frühling,
Der jung ist jedes Jahr! 

Liebst du um Schätze,
O nicht mich liebe. 
Liebe die Meerfrau,
Sie hat viel Perlen klar.

Liebst du um Liebe,
O ja, mich liebe!
Liebe mich immer, 
Dich lieb' ich immerdar.

See also Louis-Alexandre Fortoul's Qu'aimes‑tu de moi ?, which seems to have been inspired by this poem.

Composition:

Text Authorship:

See other settings of this text.

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

  • CAT Catalan (Català) (Salvador Pila) , "Si estimes per la bellesa", copyright © 2013, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
  • CHI Chinese (中文) (YiLing Chaing) , copyright © 2024, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
  • DUT Dutch (Nederlands) [singable] (Lau Kanen) , "Zoek je naar schoonheid?", copyright © 2012, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
  • ENG English (Emily Ezust) , "If you love for beauty", copyright © 2014
  • FIN Finnish (Suomi) (Erkki Pullinen) , copyright © 2009, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
  • FRE French (Français) (Pierre Mathé) , "Si tu aimes pour la beauté", copyright © 2008, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
  • FRE French (Français) (Guy Laffaille) , "Si tu aimes la beauté", copyright © 2010, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
  • ITA Italian (Italiano) (Amelia Maria Imbarrato) , "Se ami per la bellezza", copyright © 2006, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
  • NOR Norwegian (Bokmål) (Marianne Beate Kielland) , copyright © 2018, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
  • POR Portuguese (Português) (Maria Guimarães) , "Se amas pela beleza", copyright © 2006, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
  • POR Portuguese (Português) (Caê Vieira) , copyright © 2019, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
  • SPA Spanish (Español) (Alberto Villar) , "Si amas la belleza", copyright © 2010, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
  • SWE Swedish (Svenska) (Yvonne Helander) , "Älskar du för Skönhets skull, älska inte mig", 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: 16
Word count: 64

Language: English  after the German (Deutsch) 
If you love for beauty,
Oh do not love me!
Love the sun, 
It has gold hair!

If you love for youth,
Oh do not love me!
Love the spring-time
That is young each year!

If you love for wealth,
Oh do not love me!
Love the mermaid,
She has many limpid pearls!

If you love for love,
Oh yes, love me!
Love me forever;
I will love you forevermore!

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2014 by Emily Ezust

    Emily Ezust permits her translations to be reproduced without prior permission for printed (not online) programs to free-admission concerts only, provided the following credit is given:

    Translation copyright © by Emily Ezust,
    from the LiederNet Archive

    For any other purpose, please write to the e-mail address below to request permission and discuss possible fees.


Based on:

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This text was added to the website: 2014-12-17
Line count: 16
Word count: 71