by Heinrich Heine (1797 - 1856)
Translation by Mary Alexander (1806 - 1859)

Was will die einsame Träne?
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Available translation(s): CAT DUT ENG FRE ITA
Was will die einsame Träne?
Sie trübt mir ja den Blick.
Sie blieb aus alten Zeiten
In meinem Auge zurück.

Sie hatte viel leuchtende Schwestern,
Die alle zerflossen sind,
Mit meinen Qualen und Freuden
Zerflossen in Nacht und Wind.

Wie Nebel sind auch zerflossen
Die blauen Sternelein,
Die mir [jene]1 Freuden und Qualen
Gelächelt ins Herz hinein.

Ach, meine Liebe selber
Zerfloß wie eitel Hauch!
Du alte, einsame Träne,
Zerfließe jetzunder auch!

About the headline (FAQ)

View original text (without footnotes)
1 Cornelius: "die"

Authorship:

Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):

Settings in other languages, adaptations, or excerpts:

Other available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):

  • CAT Catalan (Català) (Marta Garcia Cadena) , copyright © 2011, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
  • DUT Dutch (Nederlands) [singable] (Jos. Van de Vijver) , "Eenzame traan"
  • DUT Dutch (Nederlands) [singable] (Lau Kanen) , "Wat wil het eenzame traantje?", copyright © 2012, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
  • ENG English (Emily Ezust) , "What does this solitary tear mean?", copyright ©
  • ENG English (Emma Lazarus) , appears in Poems and Ballads of Heinrich Heine, first published 1881
  • FRE French (Français) (Pierre Mathé) , "Que veut cette larme solitaire", copyright © 2009, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
  • ITA Italian (Italiano) (Ferdinando Albeggiani) , "Cosa vuole questa lacrima solitaria?", copyright © 2010, (re)printed on this website with kind permission


Research team for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator] , Sharon Krebs [Guest Editor]

This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 16
Word count: 72

What means the lonely tear?
Language: English  after the German (Deutsch) 
Available translation(s): DUT
What means the lonely tear?
Which dims my saddened gaze?
A remnant, ‘tis the last,
Of early, bygone days.
 
‘Tis one of many sisters,
Who long ago were shed,
O’er former joys and sorrows,
In wind and darkness fled.
 
Like vapoury clouds dissolving,
Those azure stars are gone,
Which one each joy and sorrows,
Once on my eyelids shone.
 
And even my love has melted
Away in empty air,
Then go, thou lonely teardrop,
Go thou and and join it there.

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):

Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):

  • DUT Dutch (Nederlands) [singable] (Lau Kanen) , copyright © 2017, (re)printed on this website with kind permission


Researcher for this text: Lau Kanen [Guest Editor]

This text was added to the website: 2017-06-08
Line count: 16
Word count: 81