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Wie Wind ist mein Leben verweht, Ich liege allein und wache, Im Fenster das Mondhorn steht, Sieht zu, was ich mache. Ich liege und friere lang, Fühle den Tod im Zimmer -- Herz, wie schlägst du so bang, Brennst du noch immer? Leise fang ich zu singen an, Singe leise von Mond und Wind, Von Hirsch und Schwan, Von Maria und ihrem Kind, Alle Lieder fallen mir ein, Die man singen kann, Stern und Mond kommt herein, Wald und Reh ist bei mir innen. Alle Schmerzen und Freuden rinnen Hinter meinen geschlossenen Augen hin, Sind nicht auseinanderzukennen, Alle sind süß, alle brennen, Ich weiß nicht, wo ich bin, Frauen kommen mit Lippen bleich und rot, Flackern vor Liebe wie bange Kerzen, Eine von ihnen heißt Tod, O wie saugt ihr glühender Blick mir am Herzen! Götter tun ihre alten Augen auf, Schließen ihre verborgenen Himmel auf, Himmel zum Lachen und zum Weinen, Drehen ihre Sterne im schnellsten Lauf, Lassen alle Monde und Sonnen scheinen. Leiser wird und verstummt mein Gesang, Schlaf kommt aus Himmels Mitten Die Welt der Götter entlang Auf Sternenstraßen geschritten. Sein Schritt ist wie auf Schnee . . . Um was soll ich ihn bitten . . . ? Fort ist alles, was ich gelitten, Nichts tut mehr weh.
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.
Confirmed with Hermann Hesse, Sämtliche Werke, herausgegeben von Volker Michels, Band 10 Die Gedichte, bearbeitet von Peter Huber, Frankfurt am Main: Suhrkamp Verlag, 2002, pages 276-277.
Authorship:
- by Hermann Hesse (1877 - 1962), "Der Kranke", written 1921 [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 Hildegard Quiel (1888 - 1971), "Der Kranke", <<1955 [ voice and piano ] [sung text checked 1 time]
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- CAT Catalan (Català) (Salvador Pila) , "El malalt", copyright © 2023, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- ENG English (Sharon Krebs) , "The sick one", copyright © 2014, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- FRE French (Français) (Pierre Mathé) , "Le malade", copyright © 2017, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Researcher for this page: Sharon Krebs [Guest Editor]
This text was added to the website: 2014-10-27
Line count: 38
Word count: 211
My life has been blown away like wind, Wakeful, I lie alone, The curve of the moon is framed in the window, Watching what I’m up to. I lie and freeze for a long time, I feel Death in the room -- My heart, why do you beat so anxiously, Are you still burning? Softly I begin to sing, I sing softly of the moon and wind, Of deer and swan, Of Mary and her Child, All the songs that one can sing Come to me, Stars and moon come into the room, Forest and deer are in here with me. All pains and joys flow past Behind my closed eyes, It is not possible to tell them apart, They are all sweet, they all burn, I do not know where I am, Women come with lips pale and red, They flicker with love like uneasy candles, One of them is called Death, Oh how her glowing eyes suck on my heart! Gods open their ancient eyes, They unlock their concealed heavens, Heavens for laughing and for weeping, Twirl their stars in the most rapid race, Let all the moons and suns shine. My singing becomes softer and finally falls mute, Sleep comes striding from the centre of heaven Past the world of the gods Upon starry streets. [Sleep’s] step is as upon snow . . . What shall I ask of [sleep] . . . ? Everything that I suffered is gone, Nothing hurts any longer.
Authorship:
- Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2014 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.
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Based on:
- a text in German (Deutsch) by Hermann Hesse (1877 - 1962), "Der Kranke", written 1921
This text was added to the website: 2014-10-27
Line count: 38
Word count: 246