Love's oracle | Should I trust the flower?

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by Theodor Stromberg

Translation © by Malcolm Wren

Liebesorakel

Language: German (Deutsch)

Our translations: ENG

Ob ich den Blumen trauen soll?
So oft ich frag', ob sie mich liebt
das letzte Blättchen jedes Mal 
"sie liebt mich" mir zur Antwort gibt.
Ob ich den Blumen trauen soll?

Ob ich den Vöglein trauen soll?
Denn frag ich ob du lieb mich hast,
da singen sie und nicken sie
ein fröhlich "Ja" von ihrem Ast.
Ob ich den Vöglein trauen soll?

Ob ich zwei Augen trauen soll?
Bald steht ein "Ja", bald "Nein" darin,
bald sind sie hell, bald wehmutsvoll,
o sag mir, Herzbezwingerin,
was ich in ihnen lesen soll.

Text Authorship:

by Theodor Stromberg [author's text not yet checked 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 Engelbert Humperdinck (1854 - 1921), "Liebesorakel" [
text verified 1 time
]

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

ENG English (Malcolm Wren) , title 1: "Love's oracle", copyright © 2008, (re)printed on this website with kind permission

Researcher for this page: Malcolm Wren [Guest Editor]

This text was added to the website: 2008-03-11
Line count: 15
Word count: 93

Love's oracle

Language: English after the German (Deutsch)

Should I trust the flower?
However often I ask if she loves me
the last petal every time
says "she loves me" in reply.
Should I trust the flower?

Should I trust the bird?
Because when I ask if you love me,
they sing and gesture
a joyful "yes" from their branch.
Should I trust the bird?

Should I trust two eyes?
Now there's a "yes", now there's a "no" in there,
now they are bright, now full of sorrow,
o tell me, conqueror of my heart,
what I should read in them.

Text Authorship:

Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2008 by Malcolm Wren, (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:

a text in German (Deutsch) by Theodor Stromberg
- Go to the text page.

This text was added to the website: 2008-03-11
Line count: 15
Word count: 93