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Gewiß, so liebt ein Freund den Freund wie ich dich liebe, rätselvolles Leben! Ob ich in dir gejauchzt, geweint, ob du mir Leid, ob du mir Lust gegeben, ich liebe dich mit deinem Glück und Harme, und wenn du mich vernichten mußt, entreiße ich schmerzvoll mich deinem Arme, gleich wie der Freund der Freundesbrust.
The text shown is a variant of another text.
It is based on
- a text in German (Deutsch) by Lou (Louise) von Andreas-Salomé (1861 - 1937), "Lebensgebet"
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive)
- by Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche (1844 - 1900), "Gebet an das Leben", NWV 41 (1882). [text verified 1 time]
Available translations, adaptations, and transliterations (if applicable):
- ENG English (Sharon Krebs) , title 1: "Prayer to Life", copyright © 2014, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Researcher for this text: John Versmoren
This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 8
Word count: 54
Truly, thus a friend loves a friend As I love you, enigmatic life! Whether I rejoiced in you, wept, Whether you brought me sorrow, whether you brought me joy, I love you with your happiness and grief, And when you must destroy me, I shall tear myself painfully from your arms, Just as a friend [tears himself] from the bosom of a friend.
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.
Contact:
- a text in German (Deutsch) by Not Applicable [an adaptation]
- a text in German (Deutsch) by Lou (Louise) von Andreas-Salomé (1861 - 1937), "Lebensgebet"
This text was added to the website: 2014-12-10
Line count: 8
Word count: 63