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Das Leben ist ein Traum, Man merkt, man fühlt [ihn]1 kaum; Denn schnell wie Wolken ziehn, Ist dieser Traum dahin. Wohl dem! der gut geträumt, Wohl dem! des Saat hier keimt Zur Erndte für die Zeit der Unvergänglichkeit. Das Leben ist der Blick Auf einer Zukunft Glück, Das jeder haben kann, Der hier es wohlgethan. Wohl dem! der nach der Nacht Des Grabes froh erwacht, Den nicht die Stimme schreckt, Die aus dem Schlummer weckt. Wer bei der Arbeit Schluß Die Rechnung fürchten muß, Hat wahrlich keinen Blick Auf einer Zukunft Glück.
H. Behling sets stanzas 1, 2, 4
Confirmed with Poetische Blumenlese der preussischen Staaten für 1789. Gesammlet von Kausch. Breslau, bei Ioh. Fried. Korn, dem Aeltern, pages 111-112.
1 Behling: "es"Text Authorship:
- by Johann Christoph Wannovius (1753 - 1814), "Das Leben", first published 1789 [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 Heinrich Behling (1793 - 1854), "Das Leben", published c1840, stanzas 1,2,4 [ voice, piano ], Vier Lieder für eine Bariton-Stimme mit Begleitung des Pianoforte. Reval: Kluge [sung text checked 1 time]
- by Franz Peter Schubert (1797 - 1828), "Das Leben", D 269 (1815), published 1849, two versions (vocal trio TTB; vocal trio SSA with piano) [sung text checked 1 time]
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- CAT Catalan (Català) (Salvador Pila) , "La vida", copyright © 2019, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- DUT Dutch (Nederlands) [singable] (Lau Kanen) , "Het leven is een droom", copyright © 2010, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- ENG English (Emily Ezust) , "Life is a dream", copyright ©
- FRE French (Français) (Guy Laffaille) , "La vie est un rêve", copyright © 2011, (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: 93
Life is a dream One hardly notices or feels; For quickly as clouds passing, Is this dream behind us. Happy is he who has dreamt well; Happy is he whose crops here ripen to harvest for Time Eternal. Life is a glimpse of future happiness That everyone can have who has here done good. Happy is he who, after the night of the grave, awakens joyfully, - who is not frightened by the voice that has awakened him from slumber. He who, at the end of his labor fears the Reckoning, will truly have no glimpse of future happiness.
Text Authorship:
- Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © by Emily Ezust, (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.
Based on:
- a text in German (Deutsch) by Johann Christoph Wannovius (1753 - 1814), "Das Leben", first published 1789
This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 20
Word count: 98