Die Waise
Language: German (Deutsch)
Our translations: CAT DUT ENG FRE
Der Frühling kehret wieder,
Und alles freuet sich,
Ich blicke traurig nieder,
Er kam ja nicht für mich.
Was soll mir armen Kinde
Des Frühlings Pracht und Glanz?
Denn wenn ich Blumen winde,
Ist es zum Totenkranz.
Ach! keine Hand geleitet
Mich heim ins Vaterhaus,
Und keine Mutter breitet
Die Arme nach mir aus.
Ich sah sie beide scheiden,
Mit ihnen schied mein Glück.
Bei mir blieb nur das Leiden
In dieser Welt zurück.
O Himmel, gib mir wieder,
Was deine Liebe gab --
Blick ich zur Erde nieder,
So seh ich nur ihr Grab.
Available sung texts: (what is this?)
• R. Schumann R. Schumann sets stanzas 1-3, 5
Text Authorship:
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
- by Ludwig Deppe (1828 - 1890), "Die Waise", op. 9 (Drei Lieder für 1 mittlere Singstimme mit Pianofortebleitung) no. 1, published 1887 [ medium voice and piano ], Berlin, Schlesinger [sung text not yet checked]
- by Franz Paul Lachner (1803 - 1890), "Die Waise", op. 81 (Sieben Lieder) no. 2, published 1845 [ voice and piano ], Wien, Haslinger [sung text not yet checked]
- by Robert Schumann (1810 - 1856), "Die Waise", op. 79 no. 14[15] (1849), published 1849, stanzas 1-3,5 [ voice and piano ], from Liederalbum für die Jugend, no. 14[15], Leipzig, Breitkopf und Härtel [sung text checked 1 time]
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- CAT Catalan (Català) (Salvador Pila) , "L’òrfena", copyright © 2020, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- DUT Dutch (Nederlands) [singable] (Lau Kanen) , "De wees", copyright © 2013, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- ENG English (Sharon Krebs) , "The orphan", copyright © 2015, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- FRE French (Français) (Pierre Mathé) , "L'orphelin", copyright © 2011, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Researcher for this page: Margo Briessinck
This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 20
Word count: 94
The orphan
Language: English after the German (Deutsch)
Spring returns,
And everything is happy;
I gaze sadly downward,
For [spring] did not come for me.
Of what use to me, poor child,
Is the glory and splendour of spring?
For when I twine flowers together
It is for a funeral wreath.
Ah! no hand leads me
Home to my father's house,
And for me no mother
Opens her arms in welcome.
I saw them both pass away,
And with them my happiness also passed.
Only suffering remained for me
In this world.
Oh Heaven, give to me again
What your love gave --
When I look down at the earth,
I only see their grave.
Text Authorship:
- Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2015 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:
This text was added to the website: 2015-04-10
Line count: 20
Word count: 106