Aus dem Leben
Language: German (Deutsch)
Vom Berge wallt ein Leichenzug
Den steilen Pfad hinab:
Auch Jugendkraft ist eitel Trug,
Und muß in's frühe Grab!
Ach, horch! der Glocken dumpfer Laut
Verkündet's weit und breit:
Wie bald, wie bald, du schöne Braut,
Hat dich der Tod gefreit!
Ein Mägdlein aber aus dem Thal
So bleich dem Zuge naht;
Im Herzen todter Liebe Qual
Wallt's einsam gern den Pfad.
Und spähend bleibt's am Wege stehn,
Und läßt vorbei die Schaar,
Und schluchzt: Wie wohl ist der geschehn
Dort auf der Todtenbahr!
Confirmed with Liederbuch von Friedrich Oser, 1842-1874. Mit einem biographischen Verzeichnis der Componisten, Basel: Benno Schwabe, Verlagsbuchhandlung, 1875, page 374.
Text 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) , "A scene from life", copyright © 2026, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Researcher for this page: Sharon Krebs
[Senior Associate Editor]This text was added to the website: 2026-06-05
Line count: 16
Word count: 84
A scene from life
Language: English after the German (Deutsch)
From the mountain down the steep path
Comes a funeral procession:
The strength of youth, too, is pure delusion
And must descend into an early grave!
Ah, hark! the dull tone of the bells
Proclaims it far and wide:
How soon, how soon, you lovely bride,
Has death married you!
But a maiden from the valley
Nears the procession, so pale;
Her heart [filled with] the agony of dead love,
She gladly walks the path in solitude.
And gazing, she stops beside the road
And lets the crowd pass by,
And sobs: How fortunate is she,
There on the funeral bier!
Text Authorship:
- Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2026 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.
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Based on:
This text was added to the website: 2026-07-27
Line count: 16
Word count: 101
