Die Grabschrift
Language: German (Deutsch)
Die Nacht war mit den Stürmen allein,
Der Gram mit Lämpchen und Kämmerlein.
Des einsamen Lagers ruh'loser Gast
Erhob sich ächzend in Fieber und Hast.
Er schreibet die Inschrift dem treuesten Stein,
Der fern ihm bewahrt ein geliebtes Gebein.
Und d'raußen[sic] brüllet der Stürme Geheiß;
"Gieb uns die Worte der Liebe preis.
"Wir wehen um Stirn, wir wehen um Herz,
Verwehen die Wonnen und lassen den Schmerz.
"D'rum gieb die Worte der Lieb' uns ein,
Nach denen ächzet der sprachlose Stein." --
Kaum hat er die stockenden Zeilen vollbracht,
So schlüpfen die Worte hinaus -- in die Nacht.
Confirmed with Gedichte von A. von Maltitz, Erster Band, München: Druck von Georg Franz, 1838, page 123-124.
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):
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- ENG English (Sharon Krebs) , "The epitaph", 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: 2016-06-24
Line count: 14
Word count: 96
The epitaph
Language: English after the German (Deutsch)
Night was alone with the storms,
Grief [alone] with little lamp and chamber.
The restless occupant of the solitary bed
Arose with moaning, in fever and haste.
He writes the inscription for the most faithful stone
That far away guards the bones of his beloved.
And outside the storms shriek their orders;
"Relinquish the words of love to us.
"We blow about the brow, we blow about the heart,
We carry off the joys and leave the pain behind.
Therefore reveal to us the words of love,
The words for which the mute stone moans." --
He has barely completed the faltering lines
When the words slip out -- into the night.
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.
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Based on:
This text was added to the website: 2016-06-24
Line count: 14
Word count: 110