by Anonymous / Unidentified Author
Translation by Georg Pertz (1830 - 1870)

The Quaker's wife
Language: English 
Dark was the morn and black the sea,
When my dear laddie left me,
The swelling sails how swift they flee,
Of all my joy bereft me!
Methinks I see him take his stand
On deck so firm and steady;
And distant when he wav'd his hand,
I knew his tartan plaidy.

Alas! how heavy are the days
In absence and in sorrow,
While war and death a thousand ways
Still make me dread tomorrow.
O that ambition were at rest,
While I, the captain's lady,
Should with my soldier be so blest,
All gay in tartan plaidy!

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Researcher for this page: Ferdinando Albeggiani

This text was added to the website: 2006-06-11
Line count: 16
Word count: 98

Des Seemanns Weib
Language: German (Deutsch)  after the English 
Trüb war der Himmel, schwarz die See
Am Tag, da wir geschieden;
Wie schnell sein Segel, weiß wie Schnee,
Mir schwand mit Glück und Frieden!
Noch seh'ich am Steuer stehn,
So stolz und keck im Leide,
Ich kannt'ihn, der sein Tuch ließ wehn,
Am lust'gen, bunten Kleide.

Der Tag schleicht träge wie ein Jahr
In Einsamkeit und Sorgen,
Wenn Tod uns schreckt und Kriegsgefahr,
All überall verborgen.
O könnte Ehrgeiz ruhn und Streit
Und mir nach langem Leide
Mein Krieger nahn zur Seligkeit
Im lust'gen, bunten Kleide.

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: 2006-06-11
Line count: 16
Word count: 87