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Der graue Wolkenhimmel Schaut her, wie trüb gesinnt, Fast wie sonst Betteshimmel Auf mich als krankes Kind. Dann bath ich: "Mutter höre, Zieh' die Gardinen vor!" Sorgsam, daß nichts mich störe, Schloß sie das seid'ne Thor. Dann konnt' ich ruhig schlafen, Die Krankheit fühlt' ich kaum, Von Wald und frommen Schafen War grün und weiß mein Traum. Mutter, aus ew'gen Sphären Siehst du, was ich verlor. Zieh' diesen kranken Zähren Die letzte Decke vor!
Confirmed with Gedichte von Fridr. Baron de la Motte-Fouqué, Zweyter Theil, Neueste Auflage, Wien: Bey B. Ph. Bauer, 1818, pages 21-22
Authorship
- by Friedrich Heinrich Karl, Freiherr de La Motte-Fouqué (1777 - 1843), "Wehmuth" [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 Carl Borromäus von Militz (1781 - 1845), "Wehmuth", S. 16. [ sung text not yet checked against a primary source]
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- ENG English (Sharon Krebs) , "Melancholy", copyright © 2015, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Researcher for this text: Sharon Krebs [Guest Editor]
This text was added to the website: 2015-12-29
Line count: 16
Word count: 74
The grey sky full of clouds Gazes down, how sad in spirit, Almost the way my canopy bed Once [gazed down] upon me as a sick child. Then I asked: "Mother, listen, Draw the curtains!" Carefully, so that nothing might disturb me, She closed the silken gate. Then I could sleep peacefully, I hardly noticed my illness, Green and white were my dreams Of forests and docile sheep. Mother, from the eternal spheres You see what I have lost. Across these sick tears Draw the last coverlet!
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:
- a text in German (Deutsch) by Friedrich Heinrich Karl, Freiherr de La Motte-Fouqué (1777 - 1843), "Wehmuth"
This text was added to the website: 2015-12-29
Line count: 16
Word count: 87