Solitude | The way is difficult, the way is long

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by Hermann Hesse (1877 - 1962)

Translation © by Sharon Krebs

Einsamkeit

(Sung text for setting by H. Müller)

See original

Language: German (Deutsch)

Our translations: CAT ENG

Der Weg ist weit, der Weg ist schwer,
Doch kann ich nicht zurück;
Wer einmal dein ist, Einsamkeit,
Dem bist du Tod und Glück.
 
Die Sehnsucht brennt; von drunten her
Ruft mütterlich die Welt;
Wie ist ihr Ruf von Liebe schwer,
Wie rot von Lust erhellt.
 
Doch wer den ersten Becher trank
Vom Wasser Einsamkeit,
Dem singt kein Vogel mehr zum Dank,
Der geht nicht mehr zu zweit.

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Composition:

Hans Müller

Text Authorship:

by Hermann Hesse (1877 - 1962), "Einsamkeit", subtitle: "(1918)", written 1918

See other settings of this text.

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

CAT Catalan (Català) (Salvador Pila) , "Solitud", copyright © 2024, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
ENG English (Sharon Krebs) , "Solitude", 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: 2009-05-20
Line count: 12
Word count: 70

Solitude

(Sung text translation for setting by H. Müller)

See original

Language: English after the German (Deutsch)

The way is long, the way is difficult,
But I cannot go back;
He who once belongs to you, solitude,
To him you are death and happiness.

Yearning burns; from down below
The world calls like a mother;
How her cry is laden with love,
How rosily bright with joy.

But he who has quaffed the first goblet
Of the water solitude,
To him no bird sings more in gratitude,
He no longer walks as a twosome with anyone else.

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), "Einsamkeit", subtitle: "(1918)", written 1918
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This text was added to the website: 2018-01-07
Line count: 12
Word count: 82