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Immer war ich auf der Fahrt, Immer Pilgersmann, Wenig hab ich mir bewahrt, Glück und Weh zerrann. Unbekannt war Sinn und Ziel Meiner Wanderschaft, Tausend Male, daß ich fiel, Neu mich aufgerafft! Ach, es war der Liebe Stern, Den ich suchen ging, Der so heilig und so fern In den Höhen hing. Eh das Ziel mir war bewußt, Wanderte ich leicht, Habe manche Höhenlust, Manches Glück erreicht. Nun ich kaum den Stern erkannt, Ist es schon zu spät, Hat er schon sich abgewandt, Morgenschauer weht. Abschied nimmt die bunte Welt, Die so lieb mir ward. Hab ich auch das Ziel verfehlt, Kühn war doch die Fahrt.
Please note: this text, provided here for educational and research use, is in the public domain in Canada, but it may still be copyright in other legal jurisdictions. The LiederNet Archive makes no guarantee that the above text is public domain in your country. Please consult your country's copyright statutes or a qualified IP attorney to verify whether a certain text is in the public domain in your country or if downloading or distributing a copy constitutes fair use. The LiederNet Archive assumes no legal responsibility or liability for the copyright compliance of third parties.
Confirmed with Hermann Hesse, Sämtliche Werke, herausgegeben von Volker Michels, Band 10 Die Gedichte, bearbeitet von Peter Huber, Frankfurt am Main: Suhrkamp Verlag, 2002, pages 288-289.
Text Authorship:
- by Hermann Hesse (1877 - 1962), "Der Pilger", written 1921 [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 Waldemar Edler von Baußnern (1866 - 1931), "Der Pilger", published 1926 [ four-part men's chorus and organ ] [sung text checked 1 time]
- by Richard Junker , "Der Pilger", 1947 [ tenor and piano ], from Fünf Lieder, no. 1 [sung text checked 1 time]
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- CAT Catalan (Català) (Salvador Pila) , "El pelegrí", copyright © 2024, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- ENG English (Sharon Krebs) , "The pilgrim", copyright © 2016, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- FRE French (Français) (Pierre Mathé) , "Le pèlerin", copyright © 2017, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Research team for this page: Emily Ezust [Administrator] , Sharon Krebs [Guest Editor]
This text was added to the website: 2009-04-30
Line count: 24
Word count: 106
I was always underway, Always a pilgrim, I have retained little, Happiness and sorrow have faded away. Unknown were purpose and goal Of my wandering, A thousand times I fell And picked myself up anew! Ah, it was the star of love That I went to seek, [The star] that hung on high, So holy and so distant. Before I was aware of the goal, I wandered lightly, I attained many a delight on high, Many a happiness. Now that I have only just recognized the star, It is already too late; The star has already turned away from me, The chill of morning blows about me. The colourful world takes farewell, [The world] that was so precious to me. Even though I have failed to reach my goal, The journey was nevertheless bold.
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 Hermann Hesse (1877 - 1962), "Der Pilger", written 1921
This text was added to the website: 2016-09-11
Line count: 24
Word count: 134