Het heimwee | Wat is ‘t dat mij de adem afsnijdt

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by Friederike Robert (1795 - 1832)

Translation © by Lau Kanen

Das Heimweh

Language: German (Deutsch)

Our translations: CAT DUT ENG FRE

Was ist's, das mir den Atem hemmet,
Und selbst den Seufzer unterdrückt?
Das stets in jeden Weg sich stemmet,
Und Sinn und Geist mir so verrückt?
Es ist das Heimweh! O Schmerzenslaut!
O Schmerzenslaut, wie klingst im Innern mir vertraut!

Was ist's, das mir den Willen raubet,
Zu jeder Tat mich mutlos macht?
Das mir die Flur, so grün belaubet,
Verwandelt in Gefängnissnacht?
Es ist das Heimweh! O Jammerton!
O Jammerton, wie lange tönst im Herzen schon!

Was ist's, das mich erstarrt und brennet,
Und jede Freud' und Lust vergällt?
Giebt es kein Wort, das dieses nennet,
Giebt es kein Wort in dieser Welt?
Es ist das Heimweh! O herbes Weh!
O herbes Weh! Die Heimat, ach! ich nimmer seh'.

Text Authorship:

by Friederike Robert (1795 - 1832) [author's text not yet checked 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):

misattributed to Felix Mendelssohn (1809 - 1847) and by Fanny Hensel (1805 - 1847), "Das Heimweh", op. 8 (Zwölf Gesänge [note: this is Felix Mendelssohn's opus, in which three songs were composed by Fanny Mendelssohn-Hensel]) no. 2 [ voice and piano ], note: this was first published under Felix Mendelssohn's name [sung text checked 1 time]

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

CAT Catalan (Català) (Salvador Pila) , "L'enyorança", copyright © 2022, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
DUT Dutch (Nederlands) [singable] (Lau Kanen) , "Het heimwee", copyright © 2017, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
ENG English (Sharon Krebs) , "Homesickness", copyright © 2013, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
FRE French (Français) (Guy Laffaille) , "Le mal du pays", copyright © 2014, (re)printed on this website with kind permission

Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]

This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 18
Word count: 120

Het heimwee

Language: Dutch (Nederlands) after the German (Deutsch)

Wat is ‘t dat mij de adem afsnijdt,
En zelfs het zuchten onderdrukt?
Dat steeds ook elke uitweg afbijt
En zin en geest aan mij ontrukt?
Dat is het heimwee! O kreet van pijn!
O kreet van pijn, wat klinkt vertrouwd mij jouw venijn!
 
Wat is ’t dat wat ik wil tenietdoet,
Tot elke daad mijn moed ontkracht?
Dat mij het veld, zijn groene lichtgloed,
Verandert in gevang’nisnacht?
Dat is het heimwee! O klank vol smart!
O klank vol smart, hoe lang al klink je in mijn hart!
 
Wat is ’t dat mij verlamt en pijnigt,
En alle vreugd en lust bederft?
Is er geen woord dat hiervoor klaar ligt,
Is er geen woord dat zo diep kerft?
Dat is het heimwee! O bitter zeer!
O bitter zeer! Ach vaderland, nooit zie ’k je weer.

Text Authorship:

Singable translation from German (Deutsch) to Dutch (Nederlands) copyright © 2017 by Lau Kanen, (re)printed on this website with kind permission. To reprint and distribute this author's work for concert programs, CD booklets, etc., please ask the copyright-holder(s) directly.
Lau Kanen. Contact: boudewijnkanen (AT) gmail (DOT) com

If the copyright-holder(s) are unreachable for three business days, please write to: licenses@email.lieder.example.net

Based on:

a text in German (Deutsch) by Friederike Robert (1795 - 1832)
- Go to the text page.

This text was added to the website: 2017-03-10
Line count: 18
Word count: 135