We women | We women suddenly become poor

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by Anton Wildgans (1881 - 1932)

Translation © by Sharon Krebs

Wir Frauen werden plötzlich arm

Language: German (Deutsch)

Our translations: ENG

Wir Frauen werden plötzlich arm,
Von heute oft auf morgen,
Und dürfen dann ein Leben lang 
Von dem, was Glück und Liebe war, 
Nur borgen, ja nur -- borgen. 

Uns ist, als ob es gestern war: 
Der Kranz im Haar und der Altar
Mit Weihrauch und mit Kerzen.
Wir sehen noch den Bräutigam,
Und heimlich ist's um uns getan
Im Herzen, ja, im Herzen.

Doch du und ich und ich und du!
Was fiel denn fort, was kam dazu,
Daß ich nicht mehr genüge?
Dann ist ja auch, was einmal war,
So selig, reich und wunderbar,
Nur Lüge, ja, nur Lüge.

About the headline (FAQ)

Confirmed with Anton Wildgans, Liebe. Eine Tragoedie, Leipzig: Verlag von L. Staackmann, 1917, pages 129-130.

Text Authorship:

by Anton Wildgans (1881 - 1932), no title, appears in Liebe. Eine Tragoedie, first published 1917 [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 Clemens von Franckenstein (1875 - 1942), "Wir Frauen", op. 49 (Drei Gesänge) no. 1, published 1934 [ voice and piano ], Ed. Bote & G. Bock, Berlin, MCMXXXIV [sung text checked 1 time]

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

ENG English (Sharon Krebs) , "We women", copyright © 2018, (re)printed on this website with kind permission

Researcher for this page: Sharon Krebs [Guest Editor]

This text was added to the website: 2018-10-08
Line count: 17
Word count: 100

We women

Language: English after the German (Deutsch)

We women suddenly become poor,
Often from one day to the next,
And then, for a whole lifetime,
We may only borrow from that which 
Was happiness and love, yes only -- borrow.

It seems to us as if it were yesterday:
The wreath in our hair and the altar
With incense and with candles.
We still see the bridegroom,
And secretly it's all over with us
In our hearts, yes, in our hearts.

But you and I and I and you!
What fell away, what was added
That I am no longer enough for you?
For then, too, that which once was
So blissful, rich and wonderful,
Is only a lie, yes, only a lie.

Text Authorship:

Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2018 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 Anton Wildgans (1881 - 1932), no title, appears in Liebe. Eine Tragoedie, first published 1917
- Go to the text page.

This text was added to the website: 2018-11-04
Line count: 17
Word count: 115