Urlicht
Language: German (Deutsch)
Our translations: CAT ENG ENG FRE IRI ITA SPA SPA
O Röschen rot,
Der Mensch liegt in größter Not,
Der Mensch liegt in größter Pein,
Je lieber möcht' ich im Himmel sein.
Da kam ich auf einem breiten Weg,
Da kam ein Engelein und wollt' mich abweisen.
Ach nein, ich ließ mich nicht abweisen!
Ich bin von Gott und will wieder zu Gott,
Der liebe Gott wird mir ein Lichtchen geben,
Wird leuchten mir bis [in]1 das ewig selig' Leben!
View original text (without footnotes)
1 in some versions, "an"
Text Authorship:
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
- by Wilhelm Kienzl (1857 - 1941), "Urlicht", op. 96 no. 13 (1919) [sung text not yet checked]
- by Gustav Mahler (1860 - 1911), "Urlicht", 1888-94, first performed 1895, from Symphony no. 2, no. 4 [sung text checked 1 time]
- by Gustav Mahler (1860 - 1911), "Urlicht", 1893, published 1899 [ voice and orchestra or piano ], from Lieder aus "Des Knaben Wunderhorn" (formerly "Humoresken"), no. 14 [sung text checked 1 time]
- by Joseph Suder (1892 - 1980), "Urlicht", 1941 [ voice and piano ] [sung text not yet checked]
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- CAT Catalan (Català) (Salvador Pila) , "Llum primigènia", copyright © 2009, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- ENG English (Ahmed E. Ismail) , "Primal light", copyright © 2004 by Ahmed E. Ismail, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- ENG English [singable] (David Seay) , "Premortal Light", copyright © 2023, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- FRE French (Français) (Guy Laffaille) , "Lumière primaire", copyright © 2009, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- IRI Irish (Gaelic) [singable] (Gabriel Rosenstock) , "Úrléas", copyright © 2016, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- ITA Italian (Italiano) (Amelia Maria Imbarrato) , "Luce originaria", copyright © 2006, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- SPA Spanish (Español) (Arnaldo Rossi) , "Luz primigenia (de El cuerno maravilloso del joven)"
- SPA Spanish (Español) (Elisa Rapado) , "Luz primigenia", copyright © 2018, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Researcher for this page: John Versmoren
This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 10
Word count: 71
Primal light
Language: English after the German (Deutsch)
O little red rose,
Man lies in greatest need,
Man lies in greatest pain.
Ever would I prefer to be in heaven.
Once I came upon a wide road,
There stood an Angel who wanted to turn me away.
But no, I will not be turned away!
I came from God, and will return to God,
The loving God who will give me a little light,
To lighten my way up to eternal, blessed life!
Text Authorship:
- Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2004 by Ahmed E. Ismail; translation by Ahmed E. Ismail, (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:
This text was added to the website:
Line count: 10
Word count: 75