Ah, how empty and futile | Ah, how empty and futile is

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by Friedrich Heinrich Oser (1820 - 1891)

Translation © by Sharon Krebs

Ach wie leer und nichtig ist

Language: German (Deutsch)

Our translations: ENG

Ach wie leer und nichtig ist 
Menschentrost zu aller Frist; 
Gut, daß Gottes Wort und Geist 
Ewig seine Kraft beweist! 

Eins von Menschen mag allein 
Für dich noch ein Balsam sein: 
Wenn dich ein getreues Herz 
Ganz versteht in deinem Schmerz.

About the headline (FAQ)

Confirmed with Friedrich Oser, Kreuz- und Trostlieder, Wiesbaden: Julius Niedner, Verlagsbuchhandlung, 1865, pages 70-71.

Text Authorship:

by Friedrich Heinrich Oser (1820 - 1891), no title, appears in Kreuz- und Trostlieder, in Erstes Buch, no. 91 [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 Karl Heinrich August Siemers (1819 - 1876), "Ach wie leer und nichtig ist", op. 41 (Sechs Lieder für vierstimmigen Männerchor) no. 3, published 1868 [ ttbb chorus ], Leipzig: Schuberth und Co. [sung text not yet checked]

Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):

ENG English (Sharon Krebs) , "Ah, how empty and futile", copyright © 2025, (re)printed on this website with kind permission

Researcher for this page: Sharon Krebs [Guest Editor]

This text was added to the website: 2025-02-04
Line count: 8
Word count: 41

Ah, how empty and futile

Language: English after the German (Deutsch)

Ah, how empty and futile is
The comfort of mankind at all times;
It is good that God's word and spirit
Eternally demonstrates His power!

Only one thing from people may
Yet be a balsam to you:
When a faithful heart completely
Understands you in your pain.

Text Authorship:

Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2025 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:

a text in German (Deutsch) by Friedrich Heinrich Oser (1820 - 1891), no title, appears in Kreuz- und Trostlieder, in Erstes Buch, no. 91
- Go to the text page.

This text was added to the website: 2025-02-04
Line count: 8
Word count: 47