The world lies shattered

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by Hermann Hesse (1877 - 1962)

Translation © by Sharon Krebs

Nun liegt die Welt in Scherben

(Sung text for setting by H. Fleischer)

See original

Language: German (Deutsch)

Our translations: CAT ENG

Nun liegt die Welt in Scherben,
Einst liebten wir sie sehr,
Nun hat für uns das Sterben
Nicht viele Schrecken mehr.

Man soll die Welt nicht schmähen,
Sie ist so bunt und wild,
Uralte Zauber wehen
Noch immer um ihr Bild.

Wir wollen dankbar scheiden
Aus ihrem großen Spiel;
Sie gab uns Lust und Leiden,
Sie gab uns Liebe viel.

Leb wohl, Frau Welt, und schmücke
Dich wieder jung und glatt,
Wir sind von deinem Glücke
Und deinem Jammer satt.

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Composition:

Hans Fleischer

Text Authorship:

by Hermann Hesse (1877 - 1962), "Leb wohl, Frau Welt", written 1944

See other settings of this text.

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

CAT Catalan (Català) (Salvador Pila) , copyright © 2025, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
ENG English (Sharon Krebs) , copyright © 2018, (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: 16
Word count: 81

Now the world lies shattered

(Sung text translation for setting by H. Fleischer)

See original

Language: English after the German (Deutsch)

Now the world lies shattered,
We once loved her very much,
Now her dying no longer
Elicits much dread in us.

One should not revile the world,
She is so colourful and wild,
Ancient charms still waft
About her image.

Let us in gratitude depart
From her great game;
She gave us joy and sorrows,
She gave us much love.

Farewell, Madame World, and adorn
Yourself anew, young and unwrinkled,
We have had enough of your
Happiness and of your misery.

Text Authorship:

Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2018 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 Hermann Hesse (1877 - 1962), "Leb wohl, Frau Welt", written 1944
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This text was added to the website: 2018-05-15
Line count: 16
Word count: 81