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Liebe kam aus fernen Landen Und kein Wesen folgte ihr, Und die Göttin winkte mir, Schlang mich ein mit süßen Banden. Da begann ich Schmerz zu fühlen, Tränen dämmerten den Blick: Ach! was ist der Liebe Glück, Klagt' ich, wozu dieses Spielen? Keinen hab' ich weit gefunden, Sagte lieblich die Gestalt, Fühle du nun die Gewalt, Die die Herzen sonst gebunden. Alle meine Wünsche flogen In der Lüfte blauen Raum, Ruhm schien mir ein Morgentraum, Nur ein Klang der Meereswogen. Ach! wer löst nun meine Ketten? Denn gefesselt ist der Arm, Mich umfleucht der Sorgen Schwarm; Keiner, keiner will mich retten? Darf ich in den Spiegel schauen, Den die Hoffnung vor mir hält? Ach, wie trügend ist die Welt! Nein, ich kann ihr nicht vertrauen. O, und dennoch laß nicht wanken, Was dir nur noch Stärke gibt, Wenn die Einz'ge dich nicht liebt, Bleib nur bittrer Tod dem Kranken.
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Text Authorship:
- by Johann Ludwig Tieck (1773 - 1853), no title, appears in Liebesgeschichte der schönen Magelone und des Grafen Peter von Provence, no. 5, chapter heading: "Wie der Ritter der schönen Magelone Botschaft sandte" [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 Johannes Brahms (1833 - 1897), "Liebe kam aus fernen Landen", op. 33 no. 4 (1861-65), published 1865 [ voice and piano ], from Die schöne Magelone. Romanzen aus L. Tiecks Magelone, no. 4, Winterthur, Rieter-Biedermann [sung text checked 1 time]
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- CAT Catalan (Català) (Salvador Pila) , "L’amor arribà d’un país llunyà", copyright © 2022, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- DUT Dutch (Nederlands) [singable] (Lau Kanen) , "Liefde kwam uit verre landen", copyright © 2015, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- ENG English (Emily Ezust) , "The goddess Love came from a far-off land", copyright ©
- FRE French (Français) (Pierre Mathé) , copyright © 2010, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- ITA Italian (Italiano) (Ferdinando Albeggiani) , "Amore è arrivato da paesi lontani", copyright © 2008, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- LIT Lithuanian (Lietuvių kalba) (Giedrius Prunskus) , "Meilė iš toli atėjo", copyright © 2022, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- TUR Turkish (Türkçe) (Gül Sabar) , copyright © 2016, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 28
Word count: 149
The goddess Love came from a far-off land And not a creature followed her, And the goddess waved at me, And bound me with sweet ribbons. Then I began to feel the pain; Tears darkened my gaze. Ah! What is Love's happiness, I lamented; why this game? I have not found anyone in my wide travels, Said the lovely shape, You will now feel the power That binds other hearts. All of my desires fled Into the blue expanse of air, Glory seemed to me a daydream, Only the lament of ocean waves. Ah! Who will loosen my fetters now? For my arms are bound, About me flies a swarm of worries; Will no one rescue me? May I gaze into the mirror, Which Hope is holding before me? Ah, how misleading is the world! No, I cannot believe in it. Oh, and yet, do not be shaken In what gives you strength; If your one-and-only does not love you, There remains only sickness and bitter death.
Text Authorship:
- Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © by Emily Ezust
Emily Ezust permits her translations to be reproduced without prior permission for printed (not online) programs to free-admission concerts only, provided the following credit is given:
Translation copyright © by Emily Ezust,
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Based on:
- a text in German (Deutsch) by Johann Ludwig Tieck (1773 - 1853), no title, appears in Liebesgeschichte der schönen Magelone und des Grafen Peter von Provence, no. 5, chapter heading: "Wie der Ritter der schönen Magelone Botschaft sandte"
This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 28
Word count: 167