by Josef Wenzig (1807 - 1876)
Translation © by Emily Ezust

Klage I
Language: German (Deutsch)  after the Czech (Čeština) 
Our translations:  CAT DUT ENG FRE
Ach, mir fehlt, nicht ist da,
Was mich einst süß beglückt;
Ach, mir fehlt, nicht ist da,
Was mich erfreut!
Was mich einst süß beglückt,
Ist wie die Well' entrückt.
Ach, mir fehlt, nicht ist da,
Was mich erfreut!

Sagt, wie man ackern kann
Ohne Pflug, ohne Roß?
Sagt, wie man ackern kann,
Wenn das Rad bricht?
Ach, wie solch Ackern ist,
So ist die Liebe auch,
So ist die Liebe auch,
Küßt man sich nicht!

Zwingen mir fort nur auf,
Was mit Qual mich erfüllt;
Zwingen mir fort nur auf,
Was meine Pein:
Geben den Witwer mir,
Der kein ganz Herze hat;
Halb ist's der ersten Frau,
Halb nur wär's mein!

Text Authorship:

Based on:

Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):

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

  • CAT Catalan (Català) (Salvador Pila) , "Plany I", copyright © 2022, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
  • DUT Dutch (Nederlands) [singable] (Lau Kanen) , "Klaagzang I", copyright © 2014, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
  • ENG English (Emily Ezust) , "Lament I", copyright ©
  • FRE French (Français) (Guy Laffaille) , "Plainte I", copyright © 2011, (re)printed on this website with kind permission


Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]

This text was added to the website: 2003-11-05
Line count: 24
Word count: 112

Lament I
Language: English  after the German (Deutsch) 
 Ah, how I miss it - it is no longer here,
 What once so sweetly made me happy;
 Ah, how I miss it - it is no longer here,
 What once delighted me!
 What once so sweetly made me happy,
 Has, like an ocean wave, passed by.
 Ah, how I miss it - it is no longer here,
 What once delighted me!

 Tell me how one can till the soil 
 Without a plough, without a horse?
 Tell me how one can till the soil
 When the wheel breaks?
 Ah, such is ploughing,
 And such is love also;
 Such is love,
 If one does not kiss!

They force me to do things
 That only fill me with distress;
 They force on me
 Only what causes me pain:
 They're giving me to a widower,
 Whose heart is not whole:
 Half of him is his first wife's,
  Half only would be mine!

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,
    from the LiederNet Archive

    For any other purpose, please write to the e-mail address below to request permission and discuss possible fees.


Based on:

Based on:

 

This text was added to the website: 2003-11-05
Line count: 24
Word count: 147