The kiss, dear maid, thy lip has left
Language: English 
Available translation(s): FRE
The kiss, dear maid, thy lip has left,
Shall never part from mine,
Till happier hours restore the gift
Untainted back to thine.

Thy parting glance, which fondly beams,
An equal love, may see;
[That]1 tear that from thine eyelid streams
Can weep no change in me.

I ask no pledge to make me blest
In gazing when alone;
Nor one memorial for a breast
Whose thoughts are all thine own.

Nor need I write - to tell the tale
My pen were doubly weak:
Oh! What can idle words avail,
Unless the heart could speak?

By day or night, in weal or woe,
[That]2 heart, no longer free,
Must bear the love it cannot show,
And silent ache for thee.

L. Beethoven sets stanzas 1-3, 5

About the headline (FAQ)

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Confirmed with Lord Byron, Childe Harold's Pilgrimage, a Romaunt: and other Poems, seventh Edition, London: John Murray, 1814, pages 216 - 217. Appears in Poems.

1 Beethoven: "The"
2 Beethoven: "This"

Authorship:

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

Settings in other languages, adaptations, or excerpts:

  • Also set in Dutch (Nederlands), a translation by Nicolaas Beets (1814 - 1903) , "Afscheid" ; composed by Lodewijk Mortelmans.
  • Also set in French (Français), a translation by Anonymous/Unidentified Artist ; composed by A. M. C. Patti.
  • Also set in Italian (Italiano), a translation by Anonymous/Unidentified Artist ; composed by A. M. C. Patti.

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

  • FRE French (Français) (Isabelle Cecchini) , "Le baiser, chère enfant, que ta lèvre a laissé", copyright © 2003, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
  • FRE French (Français) (Alexis Paulin Pâris) , "Le départ"
  • GER German (Deutsch) [singable] (Georg Pertz) , "Der Scheidekuß von deinem Mund"


Researcher for this text: Ferdinando Albeggiani

This text was added to the website: 2005-01-12
Line count: 20
Word count: 121