Daß du bei mir magst weilen,
Wo doch mein Leben dunkel ist
Und draußen Sterne eilen
Und alles voll Gefunkel ist,
Daß du in dem Getriebe
Des Lebens eine Mitte weißt,
Macht dich und deine Liebe
Für mich zum guten Geist.
In meinem Dunkel ahnst du
Den so verborgnen Stern.
Mit deiner Liebe mahnst du
Mich an des Lebens süßen Kern.
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 311-312.
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):
- CAT Catalan (Català) (Salvador Pila) , "Per a Ninon", copyright © 2025, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- ENG English (Sharon Krebs) , "For Ninon", copyright © 2018, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Research team for this page: John Versmoren , Sharon Krebs
[Guest Editor] This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 12
Word count: 61
That you like to remain with me
When my life is, after all, dark
And outside, the stars hasten
And everything is full of a sparkling,
That in the bustle of life
You know of a center,
Makes you and your love
A benign spirit for me.
In my darkness you discern
The star that is so concealed.
With your love you remind me
Of the sweet core of life.