Wie [ist]1 es mir so schaurig
Des Lenzes erstes Wehn,
Wie [dünkt]2 es mir so traurig,
Daß Blumen auferstehn.

In ihrer Mutter Armen
Da ruhten sie so still,
Nun müssen, ach die Armen!
[Herauf in's]3 Weltgewühl.

Die zarten Kinder heben
Die Häupter scheu empor:
"Wer rufet uns in's Leben
Aus [stiller]4 Nacht hervor?"

Der Lenz mit Zauberworten
Mit Hauchen süßer Lust,
Lockt aus den dunklen Pforten,
Sie von der Mutter Brust.

In bräutlich heller Feyer
Erscheint der Blumen Pracht,
Doch fern schon ist der Freyer,
Wild glüht der Sonne Macht.

Nun künden ihre Düfte,
Daß sie voll Sehnsucht sind
Was labend würzt die Lüfte,
Es ist der Schmerzen Kind.

Die Kelche sinken nieder
Sie schauen Erdenwärts:
"O Mutter nimm uns wieder
Das Leben gibt nur Schmerz."

Die welken Blätter fallen,
Mild deckt der Schnee sie zu -
Ach Gott! so gehts mit [allen]5,
Im Grabe nur ist Ruh.

View original text (without footnotes)

Confirmed with Gedichte. Von Grafen Johann Mailáth. Wien, 1825. Bey Tendler und v. Manstein, pages 60-61; and with Wiener Zeitschrift für Kunst, Literatur, Theater und Mode. 1821. Viertes Quartal des sechsten Jahrgangs. Auf Kosten des Herausgebers Johann Schickh. Gedruckt bey Anton Strauß. Musik-Beylage zu No. 147. Sonnabend, den 8. December 1821. Attachment (with Schubert's song) at page 1240.

¹ Schubert: "tönt"
² Schubert (autograph): "ist"
³ Schubert: "Hervor an's"
⁴ Schubert (first print 1821): "tiefer"
⁵ Schubert: "allem"

Note: Stanza 8 is missing in Friedlaender's edition (Edition Peters, Schubert Album, Band VI).

Text Authorship:

• by Johann Graf von Majláth (1786 - 1855), "Der Blumen Schmerz", first published 1821 [author's text checked 2 times 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 Franz Peter Schubert (1797 - 1828), "Der Blumen Schmerz", op. posth. 173 (Sechs Lieder) no. 4, D 731 (1821), published 1821, first performed 1825 [ voice, piano ], attachment to Wiener Zeitschrift für Kunst, Literatur, Theater und Mode [sung text checked 1 time]

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

• CAT Catalan (Català) (Salvador Pila) , "El dolor de les flors", copyright © 2019, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
• DUT Dutch (Nederlands) [singable] (Lau Kanen) , "Het verdriet der bloemen", copyright © 2009, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
• ENG English (Emily Ezust) , "The flower's anguish", copyright ©
• ENG English [singable] (Leon Malinofsky) , "The Flowers' Sorrow", copyright © 2007, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
• FRE French (Français) (Guy Laffaille) , "La douleur des fleurs", copyright © 2011, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
• ITA Italian (Italiano) (Antonio Zencovich) , "Il dolore dei fiori", copyright © 2014, (re)printed on this website with kind permission

Research team for this page: Emily Ezust [Administrator] , Peter Rastl [Guest Editor]

This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 32
Word count: 153

How eerie it is to me to hear
the first breath of Spring;
how mournful I feel
that flowers are rising.

In their mothers' arms
they rested so quietly;
now, ah poor things, they must
go out into the bustling world.

The tender children lift up
their heads shyly:
who calls us to life
out of this silent night?

Spring, with magic words,
breathing sweet pleasure,
lures them from their dark holes
and away from their mother's bosom.

Bright and festive, like brides,
the flowers glow luxuriantly,
yet already the groom is far away
and the sun pounds down with savage strength.

Now their fragrance betrays
that they are full of longing;
what makes the breeze so tangy and refreshing
comes from anguish.

The flower-chalices wilt
and gaze toward earth:
O Mother, take us back:
life gives us only pain.

The wilted leaves fall,
the snow covers them gently;
Oh God, so it goes with everything:
in the grave alone is Rest.