Kalte Schönheit
Language: German (Deutsch)
Kristallen der Himmel, grünschimmernd die Auen,
Voll Blüthen die Bäume, o prächtiges Schauen!
Aber der Nord
Weht kalt durch die Lüfte,
Und führet die Düfte,
Die Träume mir fort.
Sieh, wie das Vögelein fröstelt im Hag!
Schön bist du nimmer
Trotz allem Schimmer,
O Frühlingstag!
Hochragend vor Allen, zur Fürstin erlesen,
Gepriesene Schönheit, du zaubrisches Wesen!
Aber dein Herz
Ohn selige Demuth,
Ohn heilige Wehmuth,
Verhärtet zu Erz!
Blitzen laß deine Demanten wie Thau:
Schön bist du nimmer
Trotz allem Schimmer,
Du arme Frau!
Stolzwogend die Rhythmen, lichtklar die Gedanken,
So duftig die Reime wie blühende Ranken!
Aber dein Sang,
Zu Lust nicht und Schmerzen
Weckt je er die Herzen,
Dem Ohr nur ein Klang!
Dichter, o singst aus der Seele du nicht,
Schön ist es nimmer
Trotz allem Schimmer,
Dein stolz Gedicht!
Confirmed with Liederbuch von Friedrich Oser, 1842-1874. Mit einem biographischen Verzeichnis der Componisten, Basel: Benno Schwabe, Verlagsbuchhandlung, 1875, pages 340-341.
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) , "Cold Beauty", 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: 2026-05-30
Line count: 30
Word count: 134
Cold Beauty
Language: English after the German (Deutsch)
The sky is crystalline, the meadows shimmer green,
The trees are full of blossoms, oh splendid to perceive!
But the north-wind
Blows coldly through the air,
And carries away
The scents of my dreams.
See how the birdlet shivers in the grove!
You are nevermore beautiful
Despite all the shimmering,
Oh spring day!
Towering over all others, chosen to be a princess,
Much-vaunted beauty, you magical being!
But your heart
Without blessed humility,
Without holy melancholy,
Must harden into brass!
Let your diamonds sparkle like dew:
You are nevermore beautiful
Despite all the shimmering,
You poor woman!
Proudly surging the rhythms, brightly lucid the thoughts,
The rhymes as scented as blooming vines!
But your singing,
Neither to joy nor to pain
Does it ever waken the heart.
[It is only] a [pleasant] sound to the ear!
Poet, oh, if you do not sing from out of your soul,
It is nevermore beautiful
Despite all the shimmering,
Your proud poem!
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.
Contact: licenses@email.lieder.example.net
Based on:
This text was added to the website: 2026-10-02
Line count: 30
Word count: 160
