O hope! lovely, benevolently active one!

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by Friedrich Hölderlin (1770 - 1843)

Translation © by Sharon Krebs

Hoffnung

(Sung text for setting by H. Eisler)

See original

Language: German (Deutsch)

Our translations: CAT ENG FRE

O Hoffnung! holde, gütiggeschäftige!
  Die du das Haus der Trauernden nicht verschmähst,
    Und gerne dienend zwischen
      Sterblichen waltest.

Wo bist du? wenig lebt' ich; doch atmet kalt
  Mein Abend schon. Und stille, den Schatten gleich,
    Bin ich schon hier; und schon gesanglos
      Schlummert das schaudernde Herz.

 ...

Note: the text above is taken from stanzas 1,2 of the original text.

Composition:

Hanns Eisler

Ernste Gesänge

Text Authorship:

by Friedrich Hölderlin (1770 - 1843), "An die Hoffnung", appears in Gedichte 1800-1804, in Nachtgesänge

See other settings of this text.

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

CAT Catalan (Català) (Salvador Pila) , copyright © 2014, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
ENG English (Sharon Krebs) , copyright © 2024, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
FRE French (Français) (Guy Laffaille) , "À l'espérance", copyright © 2013, (re)printed on this website with kind permission

Research team for this page: Emily Ezust [Administrator] , Sharon Krebs [Senior Associate Editor]

This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 20
Word count: 135

Hope

(Sung text translation for setting by H. Eisler)

See original

Language: English after the German (Deutsch)

O hope! lovely, benevolently active one!
  You, who does not eschew the house of those who mourn,
    And gladly serving have your workings
      Between mortals. 

Where are you? I have lived only a little while; but already
  My evening breathes coldly. And quietly, like the shadows,
    I am already here; and, already songless,
      My shuddering heart slumbers.

 ...

Note: the text above is taken from stanzas 1,2 of the original text.

Translations of title(s):
"An die Hoffnung" = "To hope"
"Hoffnung" = "Hope"

Text Authorship:

Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2024 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 Friedrich Hölderlin (1770 - 1843), "An die Hoffnung", appears in Gedichte 1800-1804, in Nachtgesänge
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This text was added to the website: 2024-05-08
Line count: 20
Word count: 164