I asked my heart so often | I asked my heart so often

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by Friedrich Heinrich Oser (1820 - 1891)

Translation © by Sharon Krebs

Ich hab' so oft mein Herz gefragt

Language: German (Deutsch)

Our translations: ENG

Ich hab so oft mein Herz gefragt, 
Und nie hat's mir mein Herz gesagt, 
Ob sie, so rein und schön und hold, 
Noch einst mein eigen werden sollt? 
  Mein Herz schwieg immer still. 

Doch als ich mußte von ihr gehn, 
Thät's endlich mir mein Herz gestehn: 
Ja sie allein, so fromm und traut, 
Nur sie muß werden deine Braut. 
  O Herz, mein Herz, schweig still! 

Und in der Fern zu jeder Stund 
Thut's ungefragt das Herz mir kund, 
Spricht laut und leis, o süßes Weh! 
Von ihr nur, wo ich geh und steh. 
  Mein Herz schweigt nimmer still.

Confirmed with Liederbuch von Friedrich Oser, 1842-1874. Mit einem biographischen Verzeichnis der Componisten, Basel: Benno Schwabe, Verlagsbuchhandlung, 1875, page 148.

Text Authorship:

by Friedrich Heinrich Oser (1820 - 1891), "Ich hab so oft mein Herz gefragt", appears in Liederbuch, in 2. Liebeslieder, no. 167 [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 Wilhelm Abt (1819 - 1885), "Ich hab' so oft mein Herz gefragt", op. 396 (5 Lieder für Alt oder Bariton mit Pianoforte) no. 5, published 1871 [ baritone or alto and piano ], Berlin, Challier & Co. [sung text not yet checked]

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

ENG English (Sharon Krebs) , "I asked my heart so often", copyright © 2025, (re)printed on this website with kind permission

Researcher for this page: Sharon Krebs [Senior Associate Editor]

This text was added to the website: 2025-10-21
Line count: 15
Word count: 98

I asked my heart so often

Language: English after the German (Deutsch)

I asked my heart so often,
And my heart never told it to me,
Whether she, so pure and beautiful and fair,
Shall someday yet become my own?
  My heart always remained silent.

But when I had to leave her,
My heart finally admitted it:
Yes, she alone, so devout and dear,
Only she must become your bride.
  Oh heart, my heart, fall silent!

And far away at every hour,
Unasked, my heart proclaims it to me,
Speaks loudly and quietly -- oh sweet pain! --
Only of her, wherever I go, wherever I may be.
  My heart is never silent.

Text Authorship:

Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2025 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.
Contact: licenses@email.lieder.example.net

Based on:

a text in German (Deutsch) by Friedrich Heinrich Oser (1820 - 1891), "Ich hab so oft mein Herz gefragt", appears in Liederbuch, in 2. Liebeslieder, no. 167
- Go to the text page.

This text was added to the website: 2025-11-25
Line count: 15
Word count: 99