Diotima | You are silent and suffer, and they do not understand you

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by Friedrich Hölderlin (1770 - 1843)

Translation © by Sharon Krebs

Diotima

Language: German (Deutsch)

Our translations: ENG

Du schweigst und duldest, und sie versteh'n dich nicht,
  Du heilig Leben! welkest hinweg und schweigst
    Denn ach! vergebens bei Barbaren
      Suchst du die Deinen im Sonnenlichte,

Die zärtlichgroßen Seelen, die nimmer sind!
  Doch eilt die Zeit. Noch siehet mein sterblich Lied
    Den Tag, der, Diotima! nächst den
      Göttern mit Helden dich nennt, und dir gleicht.

Confirmed with Friedrich Hölderlin, Sämtliche Gedichte und Hyperion, Frankfurt am Main: Insel Verlag, 1999, page 197.

Note: In Apostel’s op. 9, this song is followed by an orchestral "Interludium".

Text Authorship:

by Friedrich Hölderlin (1770 - 1843), "Diotima" [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 Hans Erich Apostel (1901 - 1972), "Diotima", op. 9 no. 1, published 1941 [low voice and orchestra], Wien: Universal-Edition, No. 11267 (Klavier-Auszug) [ sung text checked 1 time]

Set in a modified version by Franz Alfons Wolpert.

Go to the text. [ view differences ]

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

ENG English (Sharon Krebs) , "Diotima", 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: 2018-11-07
Line count: 8
Word count: 56

Diotima

Language: English after the German (Deutsch)

You are silent and suffer, and they do not understand you,
  You holy life! you wilt away and remain silent
    For ah! among barbarians you seek in vain
      For your own in the sunlight,

The tenderly great souls that are no more!
  But time hastens. My mortal song still sees
    The day, Diotima! that calls your name next to the gods
      Along with the names of heroes, and which is like you.

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.
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Based on:

a text in German (Deutsch) by Friedrich Hölderlin (1770 - 1843), "Diotima"
- Go to the text page.

This text was added to the website: 2018-12-01
Line count: 8
Word count: 72