Retrat | Altiva, bella i enigmàtica

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by Hermann Hesse (1877 - 1962)

Translation © by Salvador Pila

Porträt

Language: German (Deutsch)

Our translations: CAT ENG FRE

Hochmütig, schön und rätselhaft,
Der Mund voll Spott, die Stirn voll Stolz,
Der Blick voll loher Leidenschaft -
Und über deine Schulter hängt
Ein Bündel schweren Lockengolds.

Ich sah dich froh und mienenklar,
Sah dich in Nächten aufgerafft
Aus schwülem Bett mit wirrem Haar,
Ich sah dich hundertfach, doch jedesmal
Hochmütig, schön und rätselhaft.

Please note: this text, provided here for educational and research use, is in the public domain in Canada and the U.S., but it may still be copyright in other legal jurisdictions. The LiederNet Archive makes no guarantee that the above text is public domain in your country. Please consult your country's copyright statutes or a qualified IP attorney to verify whether a certain text is in the public domain in your country or if downloading or distributing a copy constitutes fair use. The LiederNet Archive assumes no legal responsibility or liability for the copyright compliance of third parties.

Confirmed with Hermann Hesse, Sämtliche Werke, herausgegeben von Volker Michels, Band 10 Die Gedichte, bearbeitet von Peter Huber, Frankfurt am Main: Suhrkamp Verlag, 2002, page 44.

Text Authorship:

by Hermann Hesse (1877 - 1962), "Porträt", written 1898 [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 Rudolph Ganz (1877 - 1972), "Porträt", op. 17 (Lieder und Gesänge) no. 3, published 1908 [ voice and piano ] [sung text checked 1 time]

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

ENG English (Sharon Krebs) , "Portrait", copyright © 2018, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
FRE French (Français) (Pierre Mathé) , "Portrait", copyright © 2018, (re)printed on this website with kind permission

Research team for this page: Emily Ezust [Administrator] , Sharon Krebs [Senior Associate Editor]

This text was added to the website: 2007-07-06
Line count: 10
Word count: 53

Retrat

Language: Catalan (Català) after the German (Deutsch)

Altiva, bella i enigmàtica,
la boca plena de sarcasme, el front ple d’orgull,
l’esguard ple d’una ardent passió;
i penjant a la teva espatlla,
un manoll de feixucs rínxols daurats.

T’he vist joiosa i amb un clar semblant,
t’he vist en nits, excitada,
sortir d’un llit sensual despentinada, 
t’he vist cent vedades, però sempre
altiva, bella i enigmàtica.

Text Authorship:

Translation from German (Deutsch) to Catalan (Català) copyright © 2025 by Salvador Pila, (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 Hermann Hesse (1877 - 1962), "Porträt", written 1898
- Go to the text page.

This text was added to the website: 2025-11-15
Line count: 10
Word count: 58