Leb' wohl du schöne Erde
Kann dich erst jetzt verstehn,
Wo Freude und wo Kummer
An uns vorüber wehn!

Leb' wohl du Meister Kummer
Dank' dir mit nassem Blick,
Mit mir nehm' ich die Freude
Dich - lass' ich hier zurück.

Sey nur ein milder Lehrer
Führ' alle hin zu Gott,
Zeig' in den trübsten Nächten,
Ein Streiflein Morgenroth!

Lasse [die]1 Liebe ahnen -
So danken sie dir noch, 
Der früher und der später
Sie danken weinend doch!

Dann glänzt das Leben heiter,
[Es]2 lächelt jeder Schmerz
Die Freude [mild umfanget]3
Das ruh'ge klare Herz!

About the headline (FAQ)

View original text (without footnotes)

Confirmed with Adolf von Pratobevera's manuscript Der Falke. Romantisches Spiel [...] in einem langen Aufzug. 1825. This manuscript is preserved in the Austrian State Archives.

Note: The poem is Mechthild's song in the final scene of the play Der Falke, which has been performed in Pratobevera's private circle on Feb. 17, 1826. The play has not been published in print. In addition to the manuscript of the play there is a second manuscript of this poem on a separate sheet, dated 1826, which may have been Schubert's source.

¹ Schubert: "sie"
² Pratobevera (1826 manuscript), and Schubert: "Mild"
³ Pratobevera (1826 manuscript), and Schubert: "hält umfangen"

Text Authorship:

• by Adolf von Pratobevera (1806 - 1875), no title, written 1825 [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 Franz Peter Schubert (1797 - 1828), "Abschied von der Erde", alternate title: "Abschied", D 829 (1826), published 1873 [ reciter, piano ], August Reissmann, Berlin [sung text checked 1 time]

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

• CAT Catalan (Català) (Salvador Pila) , copyright © 2018, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
• DUT Dutch (Nederlands) [singable] (Lau Kanen) , "Afscheid van de aarde", copyright © 2006, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
• ENG English (Emily Ezust) , "Farewell to the world", copyright ©
• FRE French (Français) (Guy Laffaille) , "Adieu à la terre", copyright © 2011, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
• ITA Italian (Italiano) (Ferdinando Albeggiani) , "Addio alla terra", copyright © 2007, (re)printed on this website with kind permission

Research team for this page: Emily Ezust [Administrator] , Peter Rastl [Guest Editor]

This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 20
Word count: 96

Fare you well, you lovely world!
Only now do I understand you,
when joy and when sorrow
are passing away from us.

Fare you well, Master Sorrow!
I thank you with moist eyes!
With me I take joy -
you I leave here behind me.

Just be a gentle teacher,
lead everyone to God,
show them in the gloomy nights
a little streak of dawn!

Let them feel love,
and they will give thanks
sooner or later;
they will give tearful thanks.

Then life will be serene,
and every grief will smile placidly;
joy will enfold
the clear and tranquil heart.