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Kommen und Scheiden, Suchen und Meiden, Fürchten und Sehnen, Zweifeln und Wähnen, Armuth und Fülle, Verödung und Pracht Wechseln auf Erden wie Dämmrung und Nacht! Fruchtlos hienieden Ringst du nach Frieden! Täuschende Schimmer Winken dir immer; Doch, wie die Furchen des gleitenden Kahns, Schwinden die Zaubergebilde des Wahns! Auf zu der Sterne Leuchtender Ferne Blicke vom Staube Muthig der Glaube: Dort nur verknüpft ein unsterbliches Band Wahrheit und Frieden, Verein und Bestand! Günstige Fluthen Tragen die Guten, Fördern die Braven Sicher zum Hafen, Und, ein harmonisch verklingendes Lied, Schließt sich das Leben dem edlen Gemüth! Männlich zu leiden, Kraftvoll zu meiden, Kühn zu verachten, Bleib' unser Trachten! Bleib' unser Kämpfen! in eherner Brust Uns des unsträflichen Willens bewußt!
Confirmed with Gedichte von Friedrich von Matthisson. Erster Theil. Tübingen, bei Cotta, 1811, pages 109-110; and with Taschenbuch für Damen auf das Jahr 1811. Tübingen in der J. G. Cotta'schen Buchhandlung, pages 10-11.
Text Authorship:
- by Friedrich von Matthisson (1761 - 1831), "Lebenslied", written 1786-87, appears in Wanderjahre in Deutschland (1784-1787), first published 1811 [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 Nikolaus, Freiherr von Krufft (1779 - 1818), "Lebenslied" [sung text not yet checked]
- by Franz Peter Schubert (1797 - 1828), "Lebenslied", D 508 (1816), published 1845 [sung text checked 1 time]
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- CAT Catalan (Català) (Salvador Pila) , "El cant de la vida", copyright © 2015, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- DUT Dutch (Nederlands) [singable] (Lau Kanen) , "Levenslied", copyright © 2009, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- ENG English (Malcolm Wren) , "Song of life", copyright © 2018, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- FRE French (Français) (Guy Laffaille) , "Chant de vie", copyright © 2019, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Research team for this page: Richard Morris , Peter Rastl [Guest Editor]
This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 30
Word count: 118
Coming together and splitting up, Searching and avoiding, Worrying and longing, Doubting and imagining things, Poverty and plenty, barrenness and splendour, They alternate on earth like twilight and night! Down here it is pointless For you to struggle for peace! Will o' the wisps Will always try to attract your attention; But, like the furrows cut by the gliding boat, The magical images of delusion disappear! Up to the stars Which light up the far distance, We look up from the dust With courageous faith: Only there is an immortal connection made, Truth and peace, union and continuity! Propitious floods Carry those who are good, They support those who are worthy, Taking them safely into harbour, And, in the form of a harmonious, fading song, Life comes to a close for those who are noble in spirit! To suffer in a manly way, To avoid whilst full of strength, To scorn boldly, May we continue to strive, May we continue to battle! In an iron breast Conscious of our blameless determination!
Text Authorship:
- Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2018 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 Friedrich von Matthisson (1761 - 1831), "Lebenslied", written 1786-87, appears in Wanderjahre in Deutschland (1784-1787), first published 1811
This text was added to the website: 2018-01-29
Line count: 30
Word count: 171