Constancy
Language: English
Old lilac bushes thin and grey
In wistful longing sigh
Dishevelled roses blush in vain;
No mistress lingers by.
The tansy creeps e'en to the door
Through garden tangles sweet
Gaunt apple trees their wizened fruit,
Strew at the master's feet;
And lo! a cricket bravely chirps
Throughout the lonely house,
But those who lov'd there long ago;
They sleep too deep to 'rouse.
Yet keep, O keep your trust to heart,
'Twill never last now long:
For house and ye shall pass away,
Yea! even as my song, my song.
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, and transliterations (if applicable):
- GER German (Deutsch) (Linda Godry) , title 1: "Beständigkeit", copyright © 2008, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [
Administrator]
This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 16
Word count: 91
Beständigkeit
Language: German (Deutsch) after the English
Alte Fliederbüsche licht und fahl
Seufzen in wehmütigem Sehnen
Zerzauste Rosen erröten umsonst;
Da keine Hausherrin sie bewundert.
Der Rainfarn drängt sich bis ans Haus
Zwischen süß duftenden Ranken hin
Hagere Apfelbäume streuen ihre verschrumpelten Früchte
ihren Besitzern zu Füßen:
Und horch! Eine standhafte Grille zirpt
Ihr Lied noch durch das verlassne Haus,
Doch jene, die sich dort einst liebten;
Sie schlafen einen tiefen Schlaf.
Und doch, und doch bewahr dein ruhiges Vertrauen,
das es nicht lange währet mehr:
Bis jenes Haus und du vergehen,
Ja, sogar mein Lied, mein Lied.
Text Authorship:
- Translation from English to German (Deutsch) copyright © 2008 by Linda Godry, (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.
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Based on:
This text was added to the website: 2008-07-23
Line count: 16
Word count: 91
