The beginning of the end | It is only a pinprick, hardly a pain

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by Theodor Storm (1817 - 1888)

Translation © by Sharon Krebs

Beginn des Endes

Language: German (Deutsch)

Our translations: ENG FRE

Ein Punkt nur ist es, kaum ein Schmerz,
Nur ein Gefühl, empfunden eben; 
Und dennoch spricht es stets darein,
Und dennoch stört es dich zu leben. 

Wenn du es Andern klagen willst,
So kannst du's nicht in Worte fassen.
Du sagst dir selber: "Es ist nichts!"
Und dennoch will es dich nicht lassen, 

So seltsam fremd wird dir die Welt,
und leis verlässt dich alles Hoffen,
Bis du es endlich, endlich weißt,
Daß dich des Todes Pfeil getroffen.

Text Authorship:

by Theodor Storm (1817 - 1888), "Beginn des Endes" [author's text checked 1 time against a primary source]

Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):

by Daniël de Lange (1841 - 1918), "Beginn des Endes" [ voice and piano ] [sung text checked 1 time]

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

ENG English (Sharon Krebs) , "The beginning of the end", copyright © 2013, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
FRE French (Français) (Pierre Mathé) , "Début de la fin", copyright © 2010, (re)printed on this website with kind permission

Researcher for this page: John Versmoren

This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 12
Word count: 78

The beginning of the end

Language: English after the German (Deutsch)

It is only a pinprick, hardly a pain,
Only a feeling, just perceived;
And yet its voice always speaks,
And yet it hampers you in living.

If you wish to lament about it to others,
You cannot formulate it in words.
You say to yourself:  "It is nothing!"
And yet it will not leave you.

So peculiarly strange the world is becoming for you,
And quietly all hope leaves you,
Until you finally, finally know
That the arrow of death has struck you.

Text Authorship:

Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2013 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 Theodor Storm (1817 - 1888), "Beginn des Endes"
- Go to the text page.

This text was added to the website: 2013-12-11
Line count: 12
Word count: 83