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Wer bist du, Geist der Liebe, Der durch das Weltall webt? Den Schooß der Erde schwängert Und den Atom belebt? Der Elemente bindet, Der Weltenkugeln ballt, Aus Engelharfen [jubelt]1, Und aus dem Säugling lallt? Wer bist du, Kraft der Kräfte, Die Greisesaugen hellt? [Der Jünglingswangen]2 röthet, [Und Mädchenbusen]3 schwellt? Der Liebe beut und fodert, Um Liebe ringt und wirbt, Und [Messiaden]4 dichtet, Und Brutustode stirbt? Bist du nicht Odem Gottes, Unsträflich, wie sein Licht, Und stark, wie seine Rechte, Die Welten baut und bricht? Bist unsers Kreuzzugs Fahne, [Entflammst]5 mit heil'ger Scham Den Feigen und den Matten Ein wehend Oriflam. Nur der ist gut und edel, Dem du den Bogen spannst. Nur der ist groß und göttlich, Den du zum Mann ermannst. Sein Werk ist Pyramide, Sein Wort ist Machtgebot. Ein Spott ist ihm die Hölle. Ein Hohn ist ihm der Tod.
Confirmed with L.T.Kosegarten's Poesieen, Neueste Auflage, Dritter Band, Berlin 1803, pages 10-11; and with Kosegarten's Dichtungen. Fünfter Band. Lyrischer Gedichte Erstes, zweytes, drittes Buch. Greifswald, gedruckt beym königl. Director J.H. Eckhardt. 1812, pages 113-115.
1 Schubert (Neue Gesamtausgabe): "hallet"2 later editions (since 1812): "Des Jünglings Wangen"
3 later editions (since 1812): "Des Mägdleins Busen"
4 later editions (since 1812): "Iliaden"
5 Kosegarten (Leipzig 1802 edition; misprint, changed in the errata section), and Schubert (Neue Gesamtausgabe, mistakenly): "Entflammt"
Text Authorship:
- by Ludwig Gotthard Theobul Kosegarten (1758 - 1818), "Geist der Liebe", written 1787, Göttinger Musenalmanach 1788, pages 37-38, first published 1787 [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 Franz Peter Schubert (1797 - 1828), "Geist der Liebe", op. posth. 118 (Sechs Lieder) no. 1, D 233 (1815) [sung text checked 1 time]
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- CAT Catalan (Català) (Salvador Pila) , "L'esperit de l'amor", copyright © 2018, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- DUT Dutch (Nederlands) [singable] (Lau Kanen) , "Geest van liefde", copyright © 2005, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- ENG English (Malcolm Wren) , "Spirit of love", copyright © 2016, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- FRE French (Français) (Guy Laffaille) , "Esprit de l'amour", copyright © 2012, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- ITA Italian (Italiano) (Antonio Zencovich) , "Spirito dell'amore", copyright © 2015, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Research team for this page: Emily Ezust [Administrator] , Malcolm Wren [Guest Editor] , Peter Rastl [Guest Editor]
This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 32
Word count: 142
Who are you, spirit of love, Weaving your way throughout the universe, Impregnating the womb of the earth, And giving life to the atom? Who are you that binds the elements, Creating the spheres of the planets, Rejoicing out of angels' harps And babbling out of the new born? Who are you, power of powers, That makes the eyes of the elderly clear? That makes red the cheeks of the young And swells the breast of girls? Who are you who offer and demand love, Struggle and get into a tizzy over love, You who write poems like 'Der Messias' And die the death of Brutus? Are you not the breath of God, Unimpeachable, like his light, And strong, like his right hand, Which builds and breaks worlds? You are our crusade's flag, With the sacred shame you inflame Cowards and the weak, A fluttering Oriflamme. The only one that is good and noble Is someone whose bow you draw for them. The only one that is good and divine Is someone made into a virile man by you. His work is a pyramid, His word is a powerful order, For him hell is just a mockery. For him death is something to be scorned.
Text Authorship:
- Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2016 by Malcolm Wren, (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 Ludwig Gotthard Theobul Kosegarten (1758 - 1818), "Geist der Liebe", written 1787, Göttinger Musenalmanach 1788, pages 37-38, first published 1787
This text was added to the website: 2016-08-30
Line count: 32
Word count: 205