Song of courtly love | I undertook it, like the falcons who

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by Otto von Turne ( flourished c. 1275 )

Translation © by Sharon Krebs

Minnelied

(Sung text for setting by J. Grimm)

See original

Language: German (Deutsch)

Our translations: ENG

  Ich unternahm's, den Falken gleich,
Die, kraft verweg'ner edler Art,
Aufschweben hoch zur Sonne.
Ich wagte kühnen Flug zu Euch,
Ihr, schönes Bild, wie keines ward,
Ihr, meiner Augen Wonne.
Euch laßt mich seh'n, und immer sehen!
Ja, schritt ein Kaiser stolz heran,
Er müßte knieend Liebe flehen.

 ... 

  O fänd' ich gnadenreichen Muth,
Ich riefe, süßer Hoffnung voll:
"Ihr seid mein Wunsch, mein Leben!
"Lohnt Minnedienst und Minnegluth!" --
Ach, wenn ich Gnade finden soll,
Muß ich verstummen, beben.
Doch Eines habt Ihr längst erfahren:
In Geist' und Herzen pfleg' ich Euch,
Hold oder unhold, treu zu wahren.

Note: the text above is taken from stanzas 1,3 of the original text.

Composition:

Julius Otto Grimm

Text Authorship:

by Otto von Turne ( flourished c. 1275 ), "Minnelied"

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

ENG English (Sharon Krebs) , "Song of courtly love", copyright © 2022, (re)printed on this website with kind permission

Researcher for this page: Sharon Krebs [Senior Associate Editor]

This text was added to the website: 2009-08-25
Line count: 27
Word count: 147

Song of courtly love

(Sung text translation for setting by J. Grimm)

See original

Language: English after the German (Deutsch)

  I undertook it, like the falcons who,
By virtue of their audacious, noble nature,
Soar upward to the sun.
I dared the audacious flight to you,
You, beautiful being, such as has never yet existed,
You, the delight of my eyes.
Let me see you, and see you always!
Yes, were an emperor to stride proudly hither,
He must, kneeling, plead for your love.

 ... 

  Oh would I find courage, by rich grace,
I would call out, full of sweet hope:
"You are my wish, my life!
"Reward the servitude and fervour of courtly love!"--
Ah, if I am to find grace,
I must fall mute, must tremble.
But one thing you must have discovered long ago:
It is my custom, in spirit and heart to hold you,
Well or ill, faithfully enshrined.

Note: the text above is taken from stanzas 1,3 of the original text.

Text Authorship:

Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2022 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.
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Based on:

a text in German (Deutsch) by Otto von Turne ( flourished c. 1275 ), "Minnelied"
- Go to the text page.

Go to the general single-text view

This text was added to the website: 2022-09-17
Line count: 27
Word count: 184