by Robert Burns (1759 - 1796) and by Anne Grant (1755 - 1838)
Translation Singable translation by Georg Pertz (1830 - 1870)

In vain to this desert my fate I deplore
Language: Scottish (Scots) 
Our translations:  FRE
In vain to this desert my fate I deplore,
For dark is the wildwood, and bleak is the shore;
The rude blasts I hear, and the white waves I see,
But nought that  gives shelter or confort to me.

O love! Thou hast pleasures, and deep have I lov'd,
I love! Thou hast sorrows, and sore Have I prov'd:
But this bruised heart that now bleeds in my breast,
I can feel, by its throbbing, will soon be at rest.

When clos'd are those eyes, that but open to weep,
With my woes and my wrongs I shall peacefully sleep;
But the thorn my inkindness first plac'd in my heart,
Transplanted to thine, shall new anguish impart.

Note: the second verse is by Burns, from The Tear-Drop.

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):

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

  • FRE French (Français) (Pierre Mathé) , "Je déplore en vain mon destin dans ce désert", copyright © 2014, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
  • GER German (Deutsch) [singable] (Georg Pertz) , "Vergebens beklag' ich mein trübes Geschick"


Researcher for this page: Ferdinando Albeggiani

This text was added to the website: 2004-12-11
Line count: 12
Word count: 117

Vergebens beklag' ich mein trübes Geschick
Language: German (Deutsch)  after the Scottish (Scots) 
 Vergebens beklag' ich mein trübes Geschick,
 Denn Nacht nur Wüsten trifft ringsum mein Blick,
 Ich höre den Sturm, schau der Meerwoge Schnee,
 Doch nirgends ein Obdach, noch Trost meinem Weh'!

 O Lieb', du hast Wonne, heiß hab' ich's verspürt!
 O Lieb', du hast Trübsal, herb hat mich's berührt!
 Doch mir sagt's dein Schlag, o mein blutendes Herz,
 Bald, bald wirst du ruhen von Kummer und Schmerz.

 Schließt mein Aug', das zu Tränen nur öffnende sich,
 Dann der Tod, werden Trauer und Leid lassen mich;
 Doch der Dolch, denn du lieblos ins Herz mir gedrückt,
 Wird zu ewiger Qual gegen dich dann gezückt!

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):

    [ None yet in the database ]


Researcher for this page: Ferdinando Albeggiani

This text was added to the website: 2004-12-11
Line count: 12
Word count: 103