by Heinrich Heine (1797 - 1856)
Translation by James Thomson (1834 - 1882)
Es stehen unbeweglich
Language: German (Deutsch)
Our translations: FRE
Es stehen unbeweglich die Sterne in ihrer Höh', viel tausend Jahr, und schauen sich an mit Liebesweh. Sie sprechen eine Sprache, die ist so reich, so schön; doch keiner der Philologen kann diese Sprache verstehn. Ich aber hab sie gelernet, und ich vergesse sie nicht; mir diente als Grammatik der Herzallerliebsten Gesicht.
About the headline (FAQ)
Confirmed with Heinrich Heine, Buch der Lieder, Hoffmann und Campe, Hamburg, 1827, page 116.
Text Authorship:
- by Heinrich Heine (1797 - 1856), no title, appears in Buch der Lieder, in Lyrisches Intermezzo, no. 8
See other settings of this text.
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- FRE French (Français) (Charles Beltjens) , no title, appears in Intermezzo lyrique, no. 8, first published 1827
- FRE French (Français) (Pierre Mathé) , copyright © 2016, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- POL Polish (Polski) (Aleksander Kraushar) , no title, appears in Pieśni Heinego, in Intermezzo, no. 8, first published 1880
Research team for this page: Emily Ezust [Administrator] , Pierre Mathé [Guest Editor]
This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 12
Word count: 52
Language: English  after the German (Deutsch)
For many thousand ages The steadfast stars above Have gazed upon each other With ever mournful love. They speak a certain language, So beautiful, so grand, Which none of the philologians Could ever understand. But I have learned it, learned it For ever, by the grace Of studying the grammar -- My heart's own darling's face.
Composition:
- Set to music by John Joseph Becker (1886 - 1961), no title, 1925, from Heine Song Cycle, no. 1
Text Authorship:
- by James Thomson (1834 - 1882), appears in The poetical works, first published 1895
Based on:
- a text in German (Deutsch) by Heinrich Heine (1797 - 1856), no title, appears in Buch der Lieder, in Lyrisches Intermezzo, no. 8
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Researcher for this page: T. P. (Peter) Perrin
This text was added to the website: 2006-04-05
Line count: 12
Word count: 55