by
Karl August Friedrich von Witzleben (1773 - 1839), as A. v. Tromlitz
In der Hand die Himmelsgabe
Language: German (Deutsch)
Available translation(s): ENG
In der Hand die Himmelsgabe
schwebt die Liebe sanft hernieder,
und ihr rosiges Gefieder
deckt das wunde Herz;
aber aus dem [stillen]1 Grabe
steigt sie himmelwärts.
Wonne, Sehnsucht und Entzücken
reichet sie mit sanften Händen,
auch den Kummer muß sie spenden,
Trennung, Qual und Schmerz;
ach! die Rose, die wir pflücken,
drückt den Dorn ins Herz.
Fühllos auf dem Göttersitze
knickt die Zeit die holde Rose,
und sie sinkt, die Blüthenlose,
welk und hingestreut --
doch des Dornes scharfe Spitze
schmerzt für Ewigkeit.
Schwebe hin, du Himmelsgabe,
nur für meine süßen Lieder
samml' ich deine Blüthen wieder,
nicht für dieses Herz;
nur im finstern öden Grabe
heilet Liebesschmerz.
About the headline (FAQ)
View original text (without footnotes)
Confirmed with Sämtliche Schriften von A. von Tromlitz, Zweite Sammlung, Siebenundzwanzigstes Bändchen, Das Carnaval. Ritter Franz, Dresden und Leipzig: in der Arnoldischen Buchhandlung, 1836, pages 169-170.
1 Lang: "finstern"
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):
- ENG English (Sharon Krebs) , "Song", copyright © 2006, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Researcher for this page: Sharon Krebs
[Guest Editor] This text was added to the website: 2006-06-25
Line count: 24
Word count: 107
Song
Language: English  after the German (Deutsch)
With the heavenly gift in its hand,
Love softly wafts down,
and its rosy plumage
covers the wounded heart;
but from the [quiet]1 grave
[Love] rises towards heaven.
Joy, longing, and rapture
it presents with gentle hands,
it must also mete out suffering,
separation, agony, and pain;
ah! the rose that we pick
presses a thorn into [our] heart.
On the throne of the gods
Time unfeelingly breaks the lovely rose,
and it sinks, the bloomless one,
wilted and scattered --
but the sharp point of the thorn
pains [us] for all eternity.
Float away, you heavenly gift,
only for my sweet songs
do I again collect your blossoms,
not for this heart [of mine];
only in the dark, desolate grave
shall love's pain heal.
View original text (without footnotes)
Revised July 25, 2021
1 Lang: "dark"
Authorship:
- Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2006 by Sharon Krebs, (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:
This text was added to the website: 2006-06-25
Line count: 24
Word count: 124