by George Gordon Noel Byron, Lord Byron (1788 - 1824)
Translation by Franz Theremin (1780 - 1846)
I saw thee weep
Language: English
Available translation(s): DUT
I saw thee weep - the big bright tear Came o'er that eye of blue; And then methought it did appear A violet dropping dew -- I saw thee smile -- the sapphire's [blaze]1 Beside thee ceased to shine; It could not match the living rays That fill'd that glance of thine. As clouds from yonder sun receive A deep and mellow dye, Which scarce the shade of coming eve Can banish from the sky -- Those smiles unto the moodiest mind Their own pure joy impart; Their sunshine leaves a glow behind That lightens o'er the heart.
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Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
Note: see also Bécquer's Imitación de Byron
1 in some versions, "blue"Authorship:
- by George Gordon Noel Byron, Lord Byron (1788 - 1824), "I saw thee weep", appears in Hebrew Melodies, no. 10 [author's text checked 1 time 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 Adolph Martin Foerster (1854 - 1927), "I saw thee weep", op. 34 (Two songs) no. 1 [sung text not yet checked]
- by Johann Nepomuk Hummel (1778 - 1837), "I saw thee weep", published 1826 [sung text not yet checked]
- by Klaus Miehling (b. 1963), "I saw thee weep", op. 323 (Sieben Lieder nach George Lord Byron) no. 3 (2021) [ voice and piano ] [sung text not yet checked]
- by Isaac Nathan (1790 - 1864), "I saw thee weep", published 1815, from A Selection of Hebrew Melodies No. I, no. 10 [sung text checked 1 time]
Settings in other languages, adaptations, or excerpts:
- Also set in German (Deutsch), a translation by Karl Julius Körner (1793 - 1873) , "Die Weinende", appears in Israelitische Gesänge, no. 10 ; composed by Robert Schumann.
- Also set in German (Deutsch), a translation by Franz Theremin (1780 - 1846) , "Thränen und Lächeln", written 1820, appears in Hebräische Gesänge ; composed by M. Henle, Carl Loewe.
- Also set in German (Deutsch), a translation by Anonymous/Unidentified Artist ; composed by Ferruccio Busoni.
- Also set in German (Deutsch), a translation by Adolf Böttger (1815 - 1870) , "Ich sah die Thräne", appears in Hebräische Melodien, no. 10 ; composed by Emil Bezecný, Max Seifriz.
Other available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- DUT Dutch (Nederlands) [singable] (Lau Kanen) , "Ik zag je traan", copyright © 2013, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- FRE French (Français) (Alexis Paulin Pâris) , "Je te vis pleurer", appears in Mélodies hébraïques, no. 10
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
This text was added to the website: 2003-10-19
Line count: 16
Word count: 95
Ich sah die volle Träne glühn
Language: German (Deutsch) after the English
Ich sah die volle Träne glühn In deines Auges Blau, Das wie ein Veilchen mir erschien Benetzt mit Tropfen Tau. Ich sah es lächeln: da erblich Vor ihm des Sapphirs Schein, Des Aug's lebend'gem Strahle wich Der glanzerfüllte stein. Den Wolken oft die Sonn' ertheilt Ein Blau, so tief und mild, Das an dem Himmel noch verweilt, Wenn Dämm'rung ihn umhüllt: So heilt solch Lächeln in dem Blick, Das Herzens trübsten sinn, Und läßt ihm einen Strahl zurück, Der leuchtet drüber hin.
About the headline (FAQ)
Authorship:
- by Franz Theremin (1780 - 1846), "Thränen und Lächeln", written 1820, appears in Hebräische Gesänge [author's text checked 1 time against a primary source]
Based on:
- a text in English by George Gordon Noel Byron, Lord Byron (1788 - 1824), "I saw thee weep", appears in Hebrew Melodies, no. 10
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
- by M. Henle , "Thränen und Lächeln", op. 4 no. 3, published 1897 [ voice and piano ], from Hebräische Gesänge nach jüdischen Melodien, no. 3 [sung text not yet checked]
- by Carl Loewe (1796 - 1869), "Tränen und Lächeln", op. 4 (Hebräische Gesänge) no. 6 (1823) [sung text checked 1 time]
Researcher for this text: Ferdinando Albeggiani
This text was added to the website: 2006-06-20
Line count: 16
Word count: 82