Es schmachtet eine Blume nach einem hellen Stern, und weinet Perlenthränen, daß er ihr ewig fern. Die Blume wird [verbleichen]1, bald ist ihr Kelch verdorrt, der Stern in [heiterer Ferne]2, der leuchtet [ewig]3 fort. Kannst du das [Gleichniß]4 deuten, so kennst du meinen Schmerz: du bist der Stern der Höhe, die Blume ist mein Herz.
About the headline (FAQ)
View original text (without footnotes)Confirmed with Damen-Bibliothek [aus dem Gebiete der Unterhaltung und des Wissens], sechstes Bändchen, erste Reihe, ed. by Aloys Schreiber, Heidelberg: J. Engelmann, 1827, page 380. Appears in Preuschen's 'Lieder', no. 8.
1 Rubinstein: "verblühen"2 Rubinstein: "ferner Höhe"
3 Rubinstein: "immer"
4 Rubinstein: "Räthsel"
Text Authorship:
- sometimes misattributed to Anton Grigoryevich Rubinstein (1829 - 1894)
- by Albert Preuschen (1802 - 1856), no title [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 Louis Dames (b. 1815), "Lied", op. 5 (Fünf Lieder und Gesänge für Sopran oder Tenor mit Pianoforte) no. 5, published 1841 [ soprano or tenor and piano ], Berlin, Bote und Bock [sung text not yet checked]
- by Anton Grigoryevich Rubinstein (1829 - 1894), "Räthsel", op. 33 (6 Lieder) no. 4 (1856) [sung text checked 1 time]
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- ENG English [singable] (Constance Bache) (William Stigand, né Stigant) , "A riddle"
Research team for this page: Harry Joelson , Melanie Trumbull
This text was added to the website: 2008-04-30
Line count: 12
Word count: 61
A flow'r is ever yearning, It loves a radiant star, And pearly tears she weepeth, For that he is so far. The flower quickly fadeth, Soon are her petals dry; The star in perfect lustre Shines brightly still on high. If thou can'st read my riddle, My grief thou knowest too: Thou art the star, the star in heav'n thou, (i.e. Thou art the star in heav'n,) The flow'r is my heart, my heart so true. (i.e. The flow'r my heart so true.)
Text Authorship:
- Singable translation possibly by Constance Bache (1846 - 1903), "A riddle"
- Singable translation possibly by William Stigand, né Stigant (1825 - 1915), "A riddle"
Based on:
- a text in German (Deutsch) misattributed to Anton Grigoryevich Rubinstein (1829 - 1894) and by Albert Preuschen (1802 - 1856), no title
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
- [ None yet in the database ]
Researcher for this page: Harry Joelson
This text was added to the website: 2008-04-30
Line count: 12
Word count: 83