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Heil! dies ist die letzte Zähre, Die der Müden Aug' entfällt! Schon entschattet sich die Sphäre Ihrer heimathlichen Welt. Leicht, wie Frühlingsnebel schwinden, Ist des Lebens Traum entflohn, Paradiesesblumen winden Seraphim zum Kranze schon! Ha! mit deinem Staubgewimmel Fleugst, o Erde, du dahin! Näher glänzt der offne Himmel Der befreiten Dulderin. Neuer Tag ist aufgegangen! Herrlich stralt sein Morgenlicht! O des Landes, wo der bangen Trennung Weh kein Herz mehr bricht! Horch! im heilgen Hain der Palmen Wo der Strom des Lebens fließt, Tönt es in der Engel Psalmen: Schwesterseele, sei gegrüßt! Die empor mit Adlerschnelle Zu des Lichtes Urquell stieg; Tod! wo ist dein Stachel? Hölle! Stolze Hölle! wo dein Sieg?
Confirmed with Gedichte von Friedrich von Matthisson. Erster Theil. Tübingen, bei Cotta, 1811, pages 44-45; and with Friedrich von Matthisson, Gedichte, Fifteenth edition, Zurich: Orell, Füßli & Comp., 1851, pp. 36-37.
Note (provided by Laura Prichard): This poem is about Elisa, the betrothed of the poet’s friend Rosenfeld. She was said to have died of a broken heart after her fiancé’s untimely death.Text Authorship:
- by Friedrich von Matthisson (1761 - 1831), "Die Sterbende", appears in Gedichte aus den Studienjahren (1778-1781) [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), "Die Sterbende", D 186 (1815), published 1894 [sung text checked 1 time]
Set in a modified version by Friedrich Wilhelm Rust.
Another version of this text exists in the database.
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- CAT Catalan (Català) (Salvador Pila) , "La dona morent", copyright © 2017, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- DUT Dutch (Nederlands) [singable] (Lau Kanen) , "Het stervende meisje", copyright © 2010, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- ENG English (Laura Prichard) , "The dying woman", copyright © 2016, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- FRE French (Français) (Guy Laffaille) , "La mourante", copyright © 2012, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Research team for this page: Richard Morris , Peter Rastl [Guest Editor]
This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 24
Word count: 112
Hail! this is the last tear, That will fall from her weary eyes! Already shadows fall on the spheres Of her wordly home. Gently, like spring mist melting away, Is life’s dream flown, The flowers of paradise are being woven by Seraphim into a garland already! Ha! [surrounded] by your swarm of dust You fly there, o Earth! Nearer gleams the wide open heaven Of the freed sufferer. A new day has dawned! Gloriously1 shines the morning light! Oh for that land, where the woe of fearful Separation breaks no heart! Hark! in the holy grove of palms Where the stream of life flows, Can be heard psalms of angels: Sisterly soul, be welcome! You have risen with eagle’s speed To the light’s source; Death! where is thy sting? Hell! Proud Hell! where is [thy] victory?
Text Authorship:
- Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2016 by Laura Prichard, (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:
- a text in German (Deutsch) by Friedrich von Matthisson (1761 - 1831), "Die Sterbende", appears in Gedichte aus den Studienjahren (1778-1781)
This text was added to the website: 2016-02-08
Line count: 24
Word count: 136