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Wenige wissen Das Geheimniß der Liebe, Fühlen Unersättlichkeit Und ewigen Durst. Des Abendmahls Göttliche Bedeutung Ist den irdischen Sinnen Räthsel; Aber wer jemals Von heißen, geliebten Lippen Athem des Lebens sog, Wem heilige Glut In zitternde Wellen das Herz schmolz, Wem das Auge aufging, Daß er des Himmels Unergründliche Tiefe maß, Wird essen von seinem Leibe Und trinken von seinem Blute [Ewiglich]1. Wer hat des irdischen Leibes Hohen Sinn errathen? [Wer kann sagen, Daß er das Blut versteht? Einst ist alles Leib, Ein Leib, In himmlischem Blute Schwimmt das selige Paar. -]2 [O! daß das Weltmeer Schon erröthete, Und in duftiges Fleisch Aufquölle der Fels!]2 Nie endet das süße Mahl, Nie sättigt die Liebe sich. Nicht innig, nicht eigen genug Kann sie haben den Geliebten. Von immer zärteren Lippen Verwandelt wird das Genossene Inniglicher und näher. Heißere Wollust Durchbebt die Seele, Durstiger und hungriger Wird das Herz: Und so [währet]3 der Liebe Genuß Von Ewigkeit zu Ewigkeit. [Hätten die Nüchternen]4 [Einmal gekostet,]5 [Alles verließen sie, Und setzten sich zu uns An den Tisch der Sehnsucht, Der nie leer wird.]4 [Sie erkennten der Liebe]6 [Unendliche Fülle, Und priesen die Nahrung Von Leib und Blut.]4
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View original text (without footnotes)Confirmed with Novalis Schriften. Herausgegeben von Friedrich Schlegel und Ludwig Tieck. Zweiter Theil. Berlin, 1802. In der Buchhandlung der Realschule, pages 138-140; with Novalis Schriften. Herausgegeben von Ludwig Tieck und Fr. Schlegel. Dritte Auflage. Zweiter Theil. Berlin, 1815. In der Realschulbuchhandlung, pages 29-31; and with Novalis Schriften. Kritische Neuausgabe auf Grund des handschriftlichen Nachlasses von Ernst Heilborn. Erster Theil. 1901. Druck und Verlag von Georg Reimer Berlin, pages 342-343.
First published in Musen-Almanach für das Jahr 1802. Herausgegeben von A. W. Schlegel und L. Tieck. Tübingen, in der Cotta'schen Buchhandlung, 1802, pages 202-204.
1 Schubert: "Ewig, ewiglich"2 omitted by Diepenbrock
3 Schubert: "währt"
4 omitted by A. Mahler
5 Schubert: "Einmal nur gekostet,"; omitted by A. Mahler
6 Schubert (Neue Gesamtausgabe): "Und erkennten der Liebe"; omitted by A. Mahler
Text Authorship:
- by Friedrich von Hardenberg (1772 - 1801), as Novalis, "Hymne", written 1799-1800, appears in Geistliche Lieder, no. 7, first published 1802 [author's text checked 2 times against a primary source]
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
- by Alphons Diepenbrock (1862 - 1921), "Hymne", alternate title: "Abendmahlshymne", RC. 47 (1898), orchestrated 1902 [ soprano or tenor and organ ] [sung text checked 1 time]
- by Alma Mahler (1879 - 1964), "Hymne", published 1924 [ voice and piano or orchestra ], from Fünf Gesänge, no. 1 [sung text checked 1 time]
- by Franz Peter Schubert (1797 - 1828), "Hymne I", D 659 (1819), published 1872 [ voice, piano ], J. P. Gotthard, VN 361, Wien [sung text checked 1 time]
- by Grete von Zieritz (1899 - 2001), "Hymne" [ baritone and orchestra ] [sung text not yet checked]
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- CAT Catalan (Català) (Salvador Pila) , copyright © 2018, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- DUT Dutch (Nederlands) [singable] (Lau Kanen) , copyright © 2010, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- ENG English (Linda Godry) , copyright © 2005, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- ENG English (George MacDonald) , "Spiritual Songs, number 7", appears in Rampolli: Growths from a Long Planted Root. Being Translations, New and Old, Chiefly from the German, first published 1897 [an adaptation]
- FRE French (Français) (Guy Laffaille) , copyright © 2011, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Research team for this page: Emily Ezust [Administrator] , Peter Rastl [Guest Editor]
This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 53
Word count: 203
Few know The secret of love, Feel unquenchable Eternal thirst. [Holy] communion's Innermost sense Remains a secret to us mere mortals; But who ever sucked in the breath of life From hot, beloved lips, Whom holy scorching waves Tremblingly melted the heart, Who with suddenly seeing eyes, Divined heaven's immeasurable depth, Will eat from His body Will drink from His blood Forever. Who has fathomed the essential meaning of our earthly flesh? Who can tell, that he understands the blood? Once all is flesh, One flesh, In heavenly blood Floats the blessed couple. O! That the ocean would blush And in fragrant skin Would upwell the rock! Never would end the sweet delecting, Never be saturated the love; Not close enough, not intimate enough Can she have the beloved. By ever more tender lips The relished will grow more and more to the heart. Hotter lust Trembles through the soul, More thirsty and hungry Becomes the heart: And so persists love's indulgence/pleasure From eternity to eternity. If only once would the sober-minded Have a taste, They would gladly leave everything behind, And sit and dine with us From the table of longing Which never empties. They would recognize love's Immeasurable fullness, And praise the nourishment Of flesh and blood.
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Text Authorship:
- Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2005 by Linda Godry, (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:
- a text in German (Deutsch) by Friedrich von Hardenberg (1772 - 1801), as Novalis, "Hymne", written 1799-1800, appears in Geistliche Lieder, no. 7, first published 1802
This text was added to the website: 2005-03-22
Line count: 53
Word count: 209