by Friedrich Hölderlin (1770 - 1843)
Translation © by Emily Ezust

Da ich ein Knabe war
 (Sung text for setting by A. Gabryś)
 See base text
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Our translations:  CAT ENG FRE
Da ich ein Knabe war,
rettet' ein Gott mich oft
vom Geschrei und der Rufe der Menschen,
da spielt' ich sicher und gut
mit den Blumen des Hains,
und die Lüftchen des Himmels
spielten mit mir.

 ... 

Mich erzog der Wohllaut
des säuselnden Hains,
und lieben lernt' ich
unter den Blumen.

Im Arme der Götter wuchs ich groß.

Note: the text above is taken from stanzas 1,6-7 of the original text.

Composition:

    Set to music by Aleksander Gabryś (b. 1974), "Da ich ein Knabe war", 2003, first performed 2003, stanzas 1,6-7 [ soprano, horn, clarinet, violin, violoncello, and piano ], in memoriam Robert Walser

Text Authorship:

See other settings of this text.

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

  • CAT Catalan (Català) (Salvador Pila) , "La joventut", copyright © 2011, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
  • ENG English (Emily Ezust) , "The youth", copyright ©
  • FRE French (Français) (Stéphane Goldet) (Pierre de Rosamel) , copyright © 2014, (re)printed on this website with kind permission


Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]

This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 33
Word count: 150

Language: English  after the German (Deutsch) 
When I was a boy
a god would often rescue me
from the screams and shouts of men;
there I would play, secure and good,
with the flowers of the grove,
and the breezes of the sky
would play with me.

 ... 

I was brought up by the pleasind sound
of the rustling grove,
and I learned to love
beneath the flowers.

In the arms of the gods I became a man.

Note: the text above is taken from stanzas 1,6-7 of the original text.

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © by Emily Ezust

    Emily Ezust permits her translations to be reproduced without prior permission for printed (not online) programs to free-admission concerts only, provided the following credit is given:

    Translation copyright © by Emily Ezust,
    from the LiederNet Archive

    For any other purpose, please write to the e-mail address below to request permission and discuss possible fees.


Based on:

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This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 33
Word count: 172