by Heinrich Heine (1797 - 1856)
Translation by Emma Lazarus (1849 - 1887)
«Teurer Freund! Was soll es nützen
Language: German (Deutsch)
Our translations: FRE
«Teurer Freund! Was soll es nützen, Stets da alte Lied zu leiern? Willst du ewig brütend sitzen Auf den alten Liebes-Eiern? Ach! das ist ein ewig Gattern, Aus den Schalen kriechen Küchlein, Und sie piepsen und sie flattern, Und du sperrst sie in ein Büchlein.»
About the headline (FAQ)
Text Authorship:
- by Heinrich Heine (1797 - 1856), no title, appears in Buch der Lieder, in Die Heimkehr, no. 42 [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 Xaver Gardeweg (b. 1944), "Teurer Freund", 1997 [ medium voice and piano ], from 7 Lieder nach gedichten von H. Heine, no. 1 [sung text not yet checked]
- by Marlos Nobre de Almeida (b. 1939), "Teurer Freund!", op. 90 no. 6 (2000), first performed 2000 [ baritone and piano ], from Kleine Gedichte, no. 6 [sung text not yet checked]
- by Johann Vesque von Püttlingen (1803 - 1883), "Teurer Freund! Was soll es nützen", published 1851, from Die Heimkehr : 88 Gedichte aus H. Heine's Reisebildern, no. 42 [sung text not yet checked]
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- ENG English (Emma Lazarus) , appears in Poems and Ballads of Heinrich Heine, first published 1881
- FRE French (Français) (Pierre Mathé) , copyright © 2009, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
This text was added to the website: 2008-02-22
Line count: 8
Word count: 45
Dearest friend, what may it profit
Language: English after the German (Deutsch)
Dearest friend, what may it profit To repeat the old refrain? Wilt thou, brooding still above it, Sitting on love's egg remain! Ah, if needs incessant watching; From the shell the chicks have risen. Clucking they reward thy hatching, And this book shall be their prison."
About the headline (FAQ)
Text Authorship:
- by Emma Lazarus (1849 - 1887), appears in Poems and Ballads of Heinrich Heine, first published 1881 [author's text checked 1 time against a primary source]
Based on:
- a text in German (Deutsch) by Heinrich Heine (1797 - 1856), no title, appears in Buch der Lieder, in Die Heimkehr, no. 42
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 text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
This text was added to the website: 2008-05-02
Line count: 8
Word count: 46