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It is illegal to copy and distribute our copyright-protected material without permission. It is also illegal to reprint copyright texts or translations without the name of the author or translator.

To inquire about permissions and rates, contact Emily Ezust at licenses@email.lieder.example.net

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Note: You must use the copyright symbol © when you reprint copyright-protected material.

by Jakob Nikolaus Craigher de Jachelutta (1797 - 1855)
Translation © by Lau Kanen

O Menschheit ‑ o Leben!
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Our translations:  CAT DUT ENG FIN FRE ITA
O Menschheit - o Leben! -
Was soll's - o was soll's?!
Grabe aus - scharre zu!
Tag und Nacht keine Ruh! -
Das [Drängen, das Treiben]1 -
Wohin! - o wohin?! - -
»Ins Grab - tief hinab!« -

O Schicksal - o traurige Pflicht -
Ich trag's länger nicht! -
Wann wirst du mir schlagen,
O Stunde der Ruh?! -
O Tod! komm und drücke
Die Augen mir zu! - -
Im Leben, da [ist es]2 so schwül! -
Im Grabe - so friedlich, so kühl!
Doch ach, wer legt mich hinein? -
Ich [steh]3 allein! - so ganz allein!! -

Von allen verlassen
Dem Tod nur verwandt,
Verweil' ich am Rande -
Das Kreuz in der Hand,
Und starre mit sehnendem Blick,
Hinab - ins tiefe Grab! -

O Heimath des Friedens,
Der Seligen Land!
An dich knüpft die Seele
Ein magisches Band. -
Du winkst mir von ferne
Du ewiges Licht: -
Es schwinden die Sterne -
Das Auge schon bricht! - -
Ich sinke - ich sinke! - Ihr Lieben -
     Ich komme! - - -

Available sung texts: (what is this?)

•   F. Schubert 

About the headline (FAQ)

View original text (without footnotes)

Confirmed with Poetische Betrachtungen in freyen Stunden von Nicolaus. Mit einer Vorrede und einem einleitenden Gedichte begleitet von Friedrich von Schlegel. Wien. Gedruckt und im Verlage bey Carl Gerold. 1828, pages 59-60.

Note: Schubert received Craigher's poem in handwritten form. Craigher issued it later in the book mentioned above.

1 Schubert: "Treiben, das Drängen"
2 Schubert: "ist's ach"
3 Schubert: "stehe"

Text Authorship:

  • by Jakob Nikolaus Craigher de Jachelutta (1797 - 1855), "Gräbers Heimwehe" [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 Franz Peter Schubert (1797 - 1828), "Totengräbers Heimwehe", D 842 (1825), published 1833 [ voice, piano ], A. Diabelli & Co., VN 4272 Wien (Nachlaß-Lieferung 24) [sung text checked 1 time]

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 © 2006, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
  • ENG English (Emily Ezust) , no title, copyright ©
  • FIN Finnish (Suomi) (Milla Valkeasuo) , copyright © 2008, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
  • FRE French (Français) (Guy Laffaille) , copyright © 2010, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
  • ITA Italian (Italiano) (Ferdinando Albeggiani) , copyright © 2008, (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: 33
Word count: 148

O mensheid, o leven!
Language: Dutch (Nederlands)  after the German (Deutsch) 
O mensheid, o leven! 
waartoe? o, waartoe?
Graaf maar uit, gooi maar op! 
Dag en nacht niet gestopt!
Dat dringen, dat drijven, 
waarheen, o waarheen?
"Naar 't graf, naar 't graf, daal maar af!"

O noodlot, o plicht vol verdriet,
Ik hou 't langer niet!
Wanneer is het míjn beurt, 
ik ben al zo moe!
O dood, kom en druk mij 
de ogen maar toe!
Het leven, dat is, ach, zo 'n hel, ach, zo 'n poel!
Het graf, dat is vredig, zo koel!
Maar ach! wie legt mij daarin?
Ik sta hier alleen, totaal alleen!

Van allen verlaten, 
de dood slechts verwant,
Sta ik op het randje, 
het kruis in de hand,
En staar met verlangende blik omlaag
Het graf in, het graf in, graag!

O wereld van vrede, 
der zaligen land,
Jij trekt aan mijn ziel met 
een magische band.
Jij wenkt mij van verrre, 
jij eeuwig mooi licht,
Reeds wijken de sterren, 
mijn ogen gaan dicht,
- Ik zink nu, ik zink nu! Geliefden, 
ik kom al, ik kom!

About the headline (FAQ)

Note: this is a translation of Schubert's version.

Translation of title "Totengräbers Heimwehe" = "Het heimwee van de grafdelver"

Text Authorship:

  • Singable translation from German (Deutsch) to Dutch (Nederlands) copyright © 2006 by Lau Kanen, (re)printed on this website with kind permission. To reprint and distribute this author's work for concert programs, CD booklets, etc., please ask the copyright-holder(s) directly.

    Lau Kanen.  Contact: boudewijnkanen (AT) gmail (DOT) com


    If the copyright-holder(s) are unreachable for three business days, please write to: licenses@email.lieder.example.net


Based on:

  • a text in German (Deutsch) by Jakob Nikolaus Craigher de Jachelutta (1797 - 1855), "Gräbers Heimwehe"
    • Go to the text page.

 

This text was added to the website: 2006-12-11
Line count: 33
Word count: 171

Gentle Reminder

This website began in 1995 as a personal project by Emily Ezust, who has been working on it full-time without a salary since 2008. Our research has never had any government or institutional funding, so if you found the information here useful, please consider making a donation. Your help is greatly appreciated!
–Emily Ezust, Founder

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