Fire that must flame is with apt fuel fed, Flowers that will thrive in sunny soil are bred: How can a heart feel heat that no hope finds? Or can he love on whom no comfort shines? Fair, I confess there’s pleasure in your sight; Sweet, you have power, I grant, of all delight; But what is all to me if I have none? Churl that you are t’enjoy such wealth alone! Prayers move the heavens but find no grace with you, Yet in your looks a heavenly form I view; Then will I pray again, hoping to find, As well as in your looks, heaven in your mind. Saint of my heart, queen of my life and love, O let my vows thy loving spirit move! Let me no longer mourn through thy disdain, But with one touch of grace cure all my pain!
Authorship:
- by Thomas Campion (1567 - 1620), first published c1613 [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 Thomas Campion (1567 - 1620), "Fire that must flame", published c1613, from The Third and Fourth Booke of Ayres - The Third Booke [sung text checked 1 time]
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- GER German (Deutsch) (Richard Flatter) , "Bittgesuch", appears in Die Fähre, Englische Lyrik aus fünf Jahrhunderten, first published 1936
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
This text was added to the website: 2014-02-24
Line count: 16
Word count: 145
Feuer, das brennen soll, will, daß man´s nährt. Kein Blümlein sprießt, dem man das Licht verwehrt. Kann ein Herz blühn, wenn´s die Verzweiflung preßt? Und wer kann lieben, den man schmachten läßt? Schönste, ´s ist wahr, du strahlst in Glanz und Pracht; Süßeste, ja, in dir liegt Himmelsmacht. Doch was soll all das mir, wenn du´s nur hast? Geizige du, die das allein verpraßt! Gebete rühr´n den Himmel, doch nicht dich. Ist nicht dein Blick ein Himmelreich für sich? Drum bet ich, bete, weil ich gläubig bin, So himmlisch wie dein Blick sei auch dein Sinn. Heilige, Königin, hör mein Gebet, Hör meine Bitte, die um Schonung fleht! Heb mich empor aus meiner Niedrigkeit – Ein Zeichen deiner Gunst heilt all mein Leid!
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Confirmed with Die Fähre, Englische Lyrik aus fünf Jahrhunderten Übersetzt von Richard Flatter, Walter Krieg Verlag, Wien-Bad Bocklet-Zürich, 1954, 2nd edition (1st edition 1936), page 105.
Authorship:
- by Richard Flatter (1891 - 1960), "Bittgesuch", appears in Die Fähre, Englische Lyrik aus fünf Jahrhunderten, first published 1936 [author's text checked 1 time against a primary source]
Based on:
- a text in English by Thomas Campion (1567 - 1620), first published c1613
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
- [ None yet in the database ]
Researcher for this page: Volkmar Henschel
This text was added to the website: 2021-02-24
Line count: 16
Word count: 123