by Paul Heyse (1830 - 1914)
Translation © by Donna (Bareket) Breitzer

O wüßtest du, wie viel ich deinetwegen
Language: German (Deutsch)  after the Italian (Italiano) 
Available translation(s): CAT ENG FRE
O wüßtest du, wie viel ich deinetwegen,
Du falsche Renegatin, litt zur Nacht,
Indeß du im verschloßnen Haus gelegen
Und ich die Zeit im Freien zugebracht.
Als Rosenwasser diente mir der Regen,
Der Blitz hat Liebesbotschaft mir gebracht;
Ich habe Würfel mit dem Sturm gespielt,
Als unter deinem Dach ich Wache hielt.
  Mein Bett war unter deinem Dach bereitet,
Der Himmel lag als Decke drauf gebreitet,
  Die Schwelle deiner Thür, das war mein Kissen -
Ich Ärmster, ach, was hab' ich ausstehn müssen!

About the headline (FAQ)

Confirmed with Paul Heyse, Italienisches Liederbuch, Berlin: Verlag von Wilhelm Hertz (Bessersche Buchhandlung), 1860, page 80.


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) , copyright © 2021, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
  • ENG English (Donna (Bareket) Breitzer) , "Oh, if you knew, how much for you", copyright ©, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
  • FRE French (Français) (Guy Laffaille) , copyright © 2010, (re)printed on this website with kind permission


Research team for this text: Alberto Pedrotti , Sharon Krebs [Guest Editor]

This text was added to the website: 2004-01-17
Line count: 12
Word count: 83

Oh, if you knew, how much for you
Language: English  after the German (Deutsch) 
Oh, if you knew, how much for you,
False renegade, I've suffered at night,
While you lay locked up in your house,
And I passed the time outside.
My rose-water has been the rain,
The lightning has brought me messages of love;
I've played dice with the storm,
While keeping watch beneath  your eaves.
Beneath your eaves my bed was laid,
Spread with the sky as blanket,
The step outside your door was my pillow -
Poor wretch I am, oh how I've suffered!

Authorship:

  • Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © by Donna (Bareket) Breitzer, (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.
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Based on:

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This text was added to the website: 2004-01-17
Line count: 12
Word count: 84