by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749 - 1832)
Translation © by Amelia Maria Imbarrato

Wer sich der Einsamkeit ergibt
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Available translation(s): CAT DUT ENG FRE GRE ITA SPA
Wer sich der Einsamkeit ergibt
Ach! der ist bald allein,
Ein jeder lebt, ein jeder liebt,
Und läßt ihn seiner [Pein]1.

Ja, laßt mich meiner [Qual]2!
Und kann ich nur einmal
Recht einsam seyn,
Dann bin ich nicht allein.

Es schleicht ein Liebender lauschend [sacht]3!
Ob seine Freundin allein?
So überschleicht bei Tag und Nacht
Mich Einsamen die Pein,
Mich Einsamen die Qual.
Ach werd ich erst einmal
Einsam in Grabe seyn,
[Da]4 läßt [sie]5 mich allein!

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Confirmed with Goethe's Werke. Vollständige Ausgabe letzter Hand. Zweyter Band. Stuttgart und Tübingen, in der J.G.Cotta'schen Buchhandlung. 1827, page 120; and with Goethe's Werke. Vollständige Ausgabe letzter Hand. Achtzehnter Band. Stuttgart und Tübingen, in der J.G.Cotta'schen Buchhandlung. 1828, pages 219-220.

First published in Wilhelm Meisters Lehrjahre. Ein Roman. Herausgegeben von Goethe. Erster Band. Berlin. Bey Johann Friedrich Unger. 1795, pages 348-349. The poem appears in Book 2, Chapter 13 of Goethe's novel.

1 Schubert (D.325): "Qual"
2 Schubert (D.325): "Pein"
3 Schubert (D.478/2, first version): "ach"
4 Zelter: "Dann"
5 Schubert (autograph of D.325): "ihr"

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):

  • CAT Catalan (Català) (Salvador Pila) , copyright © 2016, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
  • DUT Dutch (Nederlands) [singable] (Lau Kanen) , "Wie aan de eenzaamheid zich wijdt", copyright © 2008, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
  • ENG English (Emily Ezust) , "He who gives himself over to solitude", copyright ©
  • FRE French (Français) (Pierre Mathé) , copyright © 2009, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
  • GRE Greek (Ελληνικά) [singable] (Christakis Poumbouris) , copyright © 2018, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
  • ITA Italian (Italiano) (Amelia Maria Imbarrato) , "Chi sceglie solitudine", copyright © 2006, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
  • SPA Spanish (Español) (unknown or anonymous translator) , written 2012


Research team for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator] , Peter Rastl [Guest Editor]

This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 16
Word count: 77

Chi sceglie solitudine
Language: Italian (Italiano)  after the German (Deutsch) 
 Chi sceglie solitudine,
 ahimè, presto è solo;
 l'uomo che vive, l'uomo che ama 
 lo lascia alla sua pena.

 Sì, lasciatemi al mio dolore, 
 che io possa almeno una volta
 restare solo davvero. 
 Allora non sarò solo.

 Si accosta furtivo l'amante, 
 spiando se la sua amata sia sola:
 così si accosta giorno e notte 
 a me solitario la pena,
 a me solitario il dolore.
 Ah, che io possa almeno una volta
 restare solo nella tomba.
 Allora mi lascerò solo.

Authorship:

  • Translation from German (Deutsch) to Italian (Italiano) copyright © 2006 by Amelia Maria Imbarrato, (re)printed on this website with kind permission. To reprint and distribute this author's work for concert programs, CD booklets, etc., you must ask the copyright-holder(s) directly for permission. If you receive no response, you must consider it a refusal.

    Amelia Maria Imbarrato. We have no current contact information for the copyright-holder.
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Based on:

 

This text was added to the website: 2006-01-18
Line count: 16
Word count: 79