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by Friedrich Heinrich Karl, Freiherr de La Motte-Fouqué (1777 - 1843)
Translation © by Sharon Krebs

Ich habe mein Schwert recht scharf...
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Our translations:  ENG
"Ich habe mein Schwert recht scharf geschliffen,
  Ich führ' einen blanken Schild,
  Ich habe den Speer recht hart gegriffen,
  Und ist mir mein Herze wild.
 
Ich schaue wohl durch mein Helmesgitter
  Die Weser hinab, hinan.
  Wo bist Du nun hin, Du Franken-Ritter,
  Der Damen hofiren kann?
 
Du reitest vorbey an Liuba's Hallen,
  Und grüßtest so zier hinauf;
  Das ist mir recht heiß in's Herz gefallen,
  Und, Knabe, das Spiel hört auf.
 
Denn willst Du in Flucht den Gau verlassen
  Da wird Deine Schande kund;
  Und kann Dich einmahl mein Speerwurf fassen,
  Da liegest Du todt im Grund.["]
 
"Derweile Du säß'st an Herdesflammen
  Zu Aachen im gold'nen Haus,
  Da kosten Liuba und ich mitsammen.
  Und lachten Dich fröhlich aus.
 
Und wo Du begraben läg'st im Haine,
  Da hielt' ich mit Liuba Tanz,
  Und wüchsen Blumen an Deinem Steine,
  Da flöcht' ich ihr einen Kranz."

About the headline (FAQ)

Confirmed with Gedichte von Fridr. Baron de la Motte-Fouqué, Dritter Theil, Wien: Bey B. Ph. Bauer, 1819, pages 75-76


Text Authorship:

  • by Friedrich Heinrich Karl, Freiherr de La Motte-Fouqué (1777 - 1843), "Des Sachsen-Ritters Ausforderung" [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), "Ich habe mein Schwert recht scharf geschliffen", S. 8 [sung text not yet checked]

Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):

  • ENG English (Sharon Krebs) , copyright © 2016, (re)printed on this website with kind permission


Researcher for this page: Sharon Krebs [Guest Editor]

This text was added to the website: 2016-03-06
Line count: 24
Word count: 143

I have whetted my sword right sharply
Language: English  after the German (Deutsch) 
I have whetted my sword right sharply,
  I carry a shiny shield,
  I have grasped the spear right tightly,
  And my heart is wild.
 
I gaze well through the screen of my helmet
  Upstream, downstream of the Weser river.
  Where have you gone, you Franconian knight
  Who can pay court to ladies?
 
You ride past the halls of Liuba,
  And send such delicate greetings up;
  That has fallen quite searingly into my heart,
  And, lad, that game shall stop.
 
For if you wish to leave the county in flight
  Then your disgrace shall become known;
  And if my spear shall ever strike you,
  Then you shall lie dead in the valley.["]
 
"The while you sat by the flames of the hearth
  At Aix-la-Chapelle in the golden house,
  Liuba and I would bill and coo together.
  And would twit you merrily.
 
And where you would lie buried in the grove,
  There Liuba and I would dance,
  And if flowers grew about your gravestone,
  I would twine a wreath for her.”

About the headline (FAQ)

Translated titles:
"Des Sachsen-Ritters Ausforderung" = "The challenge of the Knight of Saxony"
"Ich habe mein Schwert recht scharf geschliffen" = "I have sharpened my sword exceedingly"

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2016 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:

  • a text in German (Deutsch) by Friedrich Heinrich Karl, Freiherr de La Motte-Fouqué (1777 - 1843), "Des Sachsen-Ritters Ausforderung"
    • Go to the text page.

 

This text was added to the website: 2016-03-06
Line count: 24
Word count: 169

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