My heart is in the highlands, my heart is not here!

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Singable translation by Ferdinand Freiligrath (1810 - 1876)

Translation © by Sharon Krebs

Mein Herz ist im Hochland

(Sung text for setting by E. Maschek)

See original

Language: German (Deutsch) after the English

Our translations: ENG FRE

   Mein Herz ist im Hochland, mein Herz ist nicht hier!
Mein Herz ist im Hochland, im wald'gen Revier!
Da jag' ich das Rothwild, da folg' ich dem Reh,
Mein Herz ist im Hochland, wo immer ich geh'.
 
   Mein Norden, mein Hochland, leb wohl, ich muß ziehn!
Du Wiege von Allem, was stark und was kühn!
Doch, wo ich auch wandre und wo ich auch bin,
Nach den Hügeln des Hochlands steht allzeit mein Sinn!
 
   Lebt wohl, ihr Gebirge mit Häuptern voll Schnee,
Ihr Schluchten, ihr Thäler, du schäumender See,
Ihr Wälder, ihr Klippen, so grau und bemoos't,
Ihr Ströme, die zornig durch Felsen ihr tos't!
Lebt wohl auf immer, auf ewig lebt wohl!
 
   Mein Herz ist im Hochland, mein Herz ist nicht hier!
Mein Herz ist im Hochland, im wald'gen Revier!
Da jag ich das Rothwild, da folg ich dem Reh,
Mein Herz ist im Hochland, wo immer ich geh!

Note: in Gade's score, this poem is misattributed to Wilhelm Müller.

Composition:

Ernst Maschek

Text Authorship:

Singable translation by Ferdinand Freiligrath (1810 - 1876), "Mein Herz ist im Hochland", appears in Gedichte, in Robert Burns. Elf Lieder [later 13 Lieder], no. 9[11]

Based on:

a text in English by Robert Burns (1759 - 1796), "My heart's in the Highlands"
- Go to the text page.

See other settings of this text.

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

ENG English (Sharon Krebs) , copyright © 2026, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
FRE French (Français) (Guy Laffaille) , copyright © 2015, (re)printed on this website with kind permission

Research team for this page: Sharon Krebs [Senior Associate Editor], Johann Winkler

This text was added to the website: 2013-07-12
Line count: 16
Word count: 145

My heart is in the highlands

(Sung text translation for setting by E. Maschek)

See original

Language: English after the German (Deutsch)

   My heart is in the highlands, my heart is not here!
My heart is in the highlands, in the forested territory!
There I hunt the red deer, there I chase the doe,
My heart is in the highlands wherever I may go.

   My northland, my highlands, farewell, I must depart!
You cradle of everything that is strong and courageous!
But wherever I may wander and wherever I may be,
My spirit is always thinking of the hills of the highlands!

   Farewell, ye mountains with snow-covered peaks,
Ye chasms, ye valleys, ye foaming lake,
Ye forests, ye cliffs so grey and mossy,
Ye torrents that roar angrily through the rocks!
Farewell forever, forever farewell!

   My heart is in the highlands, my heart is not here!
My heart is in the highlands, in the forested territory!
There I hunt the red deer, there I chase the doe,
My heart is in the highlands wherever I may go.

Text Authorship:

Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2026 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. Please provide the translator's name when contacting us.
Contact: licenses@email.lieder.example.net

Based on:

a text in German (Deutsch) by Ferdinand Freiligrath (1810 - 1876), "Mein Herz ist im Hochland", appears in Gedichte, in Robert Burns. Elf Lieder [later 13 Lieder], no. 9[11]
- Go to the text page.

Based on:

a text in English by Robert Burns (1759 - 1796), "My heart's in the Highlands"
- Go to the text page.

Go to the general single-text view

This text was added to the website: 2026-04-12
Line count: 16
Word count: 153