To the most graceful one

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by Johann Heinrich Voss (1751 - 1826)

Translation © by Bertram Kottmann

Minnelied

(Sung text for setting by J. Brahms)

See original

Language: German (Deutsch)

Our translations: CAT DUT DUT ENG ENG FRE

  Der Holdseligen 
    Sonder Wank
  Sing' ich fröhlichen 
    Minnesang;
  Denn die Reine, 
  Die ich meine,
Winkt mir lieblichen Habedank.
 
  Ach! bin inniglich 
    Minnewund!
  Gar zu minniglich 
    küsst ihr Mund;
  Lacht so grüsslich, 
  Lockt so küsslich,
Daß mir's bebt in des Herzens Grund!
 
  Gleich der sonnigen 
    Veilchenau'
  Glänzt der Wonnigen 
    Augen Blau;
  Frisch und ründchen 
  Blüht ihr Mündchen,
Gleich der knospenden Ros' im Thau.
 
  Ihrer Wängelein 
    Lichtes Roth
  Hat kein Engelein, 
    So mir Gott !
  Eia, säß' ich 
  Unablässig
Bei der Preißlichen bis zum Tod!

Composition:

Johannes Brahms

Text Authorship:

by Johann Heinrich Voss (1751 - 1826), "Minnelied", written 1773, appears in Oden und Lieder

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) (Corien Sleeswijk) , copyright © 2007, (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 (Bertram Kottmann) , copyright © 2006, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
ENG English (Sharon Krebs) , copyright © 2023, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
FRE French (Français) (Guy Laffaille) , copyright © 2013, (re)printed on this website with kind permission

Research team for this page: Emily Ezust [Administrator] , John H. Campbell , Lau Kanen [Guest Editor] , Johann Winkler

This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 28
Word count: 87

Love song

(Sung text translation for setting by J. Brahms)

See original

Language: English after the German (Deutsch)

To the most graceful one 
without doubt 
I sing a cheerful 
love song,
since the pure woman 
I love
waves and bids me a charming "Have thanks."

Alas, my heart is sick 
with love!
She inspires my love 
with her words of thanks!
She greets me with her smiles, 
attracts me with kisses,
so that I am thrilled with joy from the bottom of my heart.

As bright as the violets 
on a sunlit meadow
is the blue sparkling 
out of my delight's eyes.
Her little mouth 
blooms fresh and round
like an unfolding rosebud wet with dew.

Her cheeks are of 
a rosy hue
not even an angel has, 
Heaven knows!
If only I 
could keep sitting
next to the praised one until I die.

Text Authorship:

Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2006 by Bertram Kottmann, (re)printed on this website with kind permission. To reprint and distribute this author's work for concert programs, CD booklets, etc., you must ask the copyright-holder(s) directly for permission. If you receive no response, you must consider it a refusal.
Bertram Kottmann. Contact: BKottmann (AT) t-online.de
If you wish to commission a new translation, please contact: licenses@email.lieder.example.net

Based on:

a text in German (Deutsch) by Johann Heinrich Voss (1751 - 1826), "Minnelied", written 1773, appears in Oden und Lieder
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This text was added to the website: 2006-03-20
Line count: 28
Word count: 126