Attention! Some of this material is not in the public domain.
It is illegal to copy and distribute our copyright-protected material without permission. It is also illegal to reprint copyright texts or translations without the name of the author or translator.
To inquire about permissions and rates, contact Emily Ezust at licenses@email.lieder.example.net
If you wish to reprint translations, please make sure you include the names of the translators in your email. They are below each translation.
Note: You must use the copyright symbol © when you reprint copyright-protected material.
1 Wenn ich mit Menschen - und mit Engelzungen redete
und hätte der Liebe nicht,
so wäre ich ein tönend Erz oder eine klingende Schelle.
Und wenn ich weissagen könnte und wüßte alle Geheimnisse
und alle Erkenntnis und hätte allen Glauben,
also daß ich Berge versetzte,
und hätte der Liebe nicht, so wäre ich nichts.
Und wenn ich alle meine Habe den Armen gäbe
und ließe meinen Leib brennen
und hätte der Liebe nicht,
so wäre mir's nichts nütze.
...
Wir sehen jetzt durch einen Spiegel
in einem dunkeln Worte,
dann aber von Angesicht zu Angesichte.
Jetzt erkenne ich's stückweise;
dann aber werd' ich's erkennen,
gleich wie ich erkennet bin.
Nun aber bleibet Glaube, Hoffnung, Liebe, diese drei;
aber die Liebe ist die größeste unter ihnen.
Note: the text above is taken from lines 1-3,12-13 of the original text.
Composition:
- Set to music by Johannes Brahms (1833 - 1897), no title, op. 121 no. 4 (1896), published 1896, lines 1-3,12-13 [ baritone and piano ], from Vier ernste Gesänge, no. 4, Berlin, Simrock
Text Authorship:
- by Bible or other Sacred Texts , from Corinthians 13
Based on:
- a text in Latin by Bible or other Sacred Texts , from Corinthians, 13
See other settings of this text.
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- DUT Dutch (Nederlands) [singable] (Lau Kanen) , copyright © 2015, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- ENG English (Laura Stanfield Prichard) , copyright © 2023, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- ITA Italian (Italiano) (Ferdinando Albeggiani) , copyright © 2008, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- SPA Spanish (Español) (Susana Martin Dudoignon) , copyright © 2022, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Researcher for this page: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
This text was added to the website: 2003-10-12
Line count: 38
Word count: 280
1 If I could speak with the tongues of men - and of angels,
and had not love,
so would I become like sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.
And if I could prophecy,
and could know all secrets
and all knowledge; and I had complete faith,
so that I could move mountains;
and had not love, I would be nothing.
And if I gave all my possessions to the poor,
and gave my body to be burned,
and had not love, it would not benefit me.
...
We see now through as
though in a darkened mirror,
but then face to face.
Now I know in part;
but then I shall know,
just as also I am known.
Now abide faith, hope, love, these three;
but the greatest of these is love.
About the headline (FAQ)
Note: the text above is taken from lines 1-3,12-13 of the original text.
Translator's note: This specific kind of love is referred to as agape [loving charity, or the love between God and humanity] from the Ancient Greek ἀγάπη (agápē).
Text Authorship:
- Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2023 by Laura Stanfield Prichard, (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.
Contact: licenses@email.lieder.example.net
Based on:
- a text in German (Deutsch) by Bible or other Sacred Texts , from Corinthians 13
Based on:
- a text in Latin by Bible or other Sacred Texts , from Corinthians, 13
Go to the general single-text view
This text was added to the website: 2023-08-16
Line count: 38
Word count: 143