To my friends in difficult times | In these darker hours as well

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by Hermann Hesse (1877 - 1962)

Translation © by Sharon Krebs

An die Freunde in schwerer Zeit

(Sung text for setting by B. Stürmer)

See original

Language: German (Deutsch)

Our translations: CAT ENG FRE

Auch in diesen dunklen Stunden,
Liebe Freunde, laßt mich gelten;
Ob ich's hell, ob trüb gefunden,
Nie will ich das Leben schelten.

Sonnenschein und Ungewitter
Sind desselben Himmels Mienen;
Schicksal soll, ob süß ob bitter,
Mir als liebe Speise dienen.

Seele geht verschlungene Pfade,
Lernet ihre Sprache lesen!
Morgen preist sie schon als Gnade,
Was ihr heute Qual gewesen.

Sterben können nur die Rohen,
Andre will die Gottheit lehren,
Aus dem Niedern, aus dem Hohen
Seelenhaften Sinn zu nähren.

Erst auf jenen letzten Stufen
Dürfen wir uns Ruhe gönnen,
Wo wir, väterlich gerufen,
Schon den Himmel schauen können.

Please note: this text, provided here for educational and research use, is in the public domain in Canada, but it may still be copyright in other legal jurisdictions. The LiederNet Archive makes no guarantee that the above text is public domain in your country. Please consult your country's copyright statutes or a qualified IP attorney to verify whether a certain text is in the public domain in your country or if downloading or distributing a copy constitutes fair use. The LiederNet Archive assumes no legal responsibility or liability for the copyright compliance of third parties.

Composition:

Bruno Stürmer

Text Authorship:

by Hermann Hesse (1877 - 1962), "An die Freunde in schwerer Zeit", written 1915

See other settings of this text.

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

CAT Catalan (Català) (Salvador Pila) , "Als amics en temps difícils", copyright © 2023, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
ENG English (Sharon Krebs) , "To my friends in difficult times", copyright © 2016, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
FRE French (Français) (Pierre Mathé) , "À mes amis en des temps difficiles", 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: 2009-05-26
Line count: 20
Word count: 99

To my friends in difficult times

(Sung text translation for setting by B. Stürmer)

See original

Language: English after the German (Deutsch)

In these dark hours as well,
Dear friends, let my words be heeded;
Whether I found it bright or dreary,
Never shall I berate life.
 
Sunshine and violent storms
Are both faces of the same sky;
Whether sweet or bitter, fate
Shall serve me as a valued repast.
 
The soul walks upon tortuous paths;
Learn to read their message!
Tomorrow already the soul shall praise as a blessing
That which today it felt to be agony.
 
Only the crude can die,
The others the divinity wishes to instruct
How to extract soulful sustenance
From the lowly, from the lofty.
 
Only upon those last steps
May we grant ourselves rest,
There where, summoned in a fatherly manner,
We may already see Heaven.

Text Authorship:

Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2016 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), "An die Freunde in schwerer Zeit", written 1915
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This text was added to the website: 2016-11-17
Line count: 20
Word count: 122