I wrote little letters | I wrote little letters and threw them into the wind

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by Ferdinand Gregorovius (1821 - 1891)

Translation © by Emily Ezust

Briefchen schrieb ich

(Sung text for setting by A. Zemlinsky)

See original

Language: German (Deutsch) after the Italian (Italiano)

Our translations: CAT ENG FRE ITA SPA

Briefchen schrieb und warf in den Wind ich,
Sie fielen ins Meer, und sie fielen auf Sand.
Ketten von Schnee und von Eise, die bind' ich,
Die Sonne zerschmilzt sie in meiner Hand.

Maria, Maria, du sollst es dir merken:
Am Ende gewinnt, wer dauert im Streit,
Maria, Maria, das sollst du bedenken:
Es siegt, wer dauert in Ewigkeit.

Composition:

Alexander Zemlinsky

Walzer Gesänge nach toskanischen Volksliedern von Ferdinand Gregorovius

Text Authorship:

by Ferdinand Gregorovius (1821 - 1891), no title, appears in Wanderjahre in Italien, in Toscanische Melodieen, no. 29

Based on:

a text in Italian (Italiano) by Anonymous/Unidentified Artist , Tuscan [text unavailable]
- Go to the text page.

See other settings of this text.

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

CAT Catalan (Català) (Salvador Pila) , copyright © 2014, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
ENG English (Emily Ezust) , "I wrote little letters", copyright ©
FRE French (Français) (Guy Laffaille) , "J'ai écrit des petites lettres", copyright © 2012, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
ITA Italian (Italiano) (Enrico Magnani) , "Piccole lettere", copyright © 2007, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
SPA Spanish (Español) (Alfredo García) , "Escribí unas cartitas", copyright © 2004, (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: 8
Word count: 61

I wrote little letters

(Sung text translation for setting by A. Zemlinsky)

See original

Language: English after the German (Deutsch)

 I wrote little letters and threw them into the wind;
 they fell into the sea, and they fell onto the sand.
 Into chains of snow and ice, I wind them,
 and the sun melts them in my hands.
 
 Maria, Maria, you must notice:
 he who endures the struggle wins in the end;
 Maria, Maria, you must understand:
 he who endures in eternity is victorious.

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.
licenses@email.lieder.example.net

Based on:

a text in German (Deutsch) by Ferdinand Gregorovius (1821 - 1891), no title, appears in Wanderjahre in Italien, in Toscanische Melodieen, no. 29
- Go to the text page.

Based on:

a text in Italian (Italiano) by Anonymous/Unidentified Artist , Tuscan [text unavailable]
- Go to the text page.

Go to the general single-text view

This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 8
Word count: 65