by Eduard Mörike (1804 - 1875)
Translation © by Iain Sneddon

Selbstgeständnis
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Available translation(s): CAT ENG FRE FRE ITA SPA
Ich bin meiner Mutter einzig Kind,
Und weil die andern ausblieben sind,
Was weiß ich wieviel, die sechs oder sieben, 
Ist eben alles an mir hängen blieben;
Ich hab' müssen die Liebe, die Treue, die Güte
Für ein ganz halb Dutzend allein aufessen,
Ich will's mein Lebtag nicht vergessen.
Es hätte mir aber noch wohl mögen frommen,
Hätt' ich nur auch Schläg' für Sechse bekommen.

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):

  • CAT Catalan (Català) (Salvador Pila) , "Confessió", copyright © 2019, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
  • ENG English (Iain Sneddon) , "Confession", copyright © 2008, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
  • FRE French (Français) (Guy Laffaille) , "Confession", copyright © 2011, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
  • FRE French (Français) (Stéphane Goldet) (Pierre de Rosamel) , "Aveu spontané", copyright © 2012, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
  • ITA Italian (Italiano) (Ferdinando Albeggiani) , "Confessione", copyright © 2008, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
  • SPA Spanish (Español) (Gerardo Garciacano Hinojosa) (Simone von Büren) , "Confesión", copyright © 2010, (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: 9
Word count: 65

Confession
Language: English  after the German (Deutsch) 
I am my mother's only child
because the others did not stay,
I don't know how many, six or seven,
Everything centred on where I was;
My duty; the love, the loyalty, the kindness
for a half-dozen, alone to eat up,
I will my whole life not forget that.
It would have probably made me still more pious
had I also received the smacks for six as well.

Authorship:

  • Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2008 by Iain Sneddon, (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: 2008-08-23
Line count: 9
Word count: 68