Ein Fund
Language: German (Deutsch)
Um's offne Grab stellt sich der Kreis,
Ein junges Leben liegt im Schreine;
Kein Auge, das nicht brennend heiß
Des Scheidens helle Zähren weine!
Und Einer aus der dichten Schaar
Bückt plötzlich hastig sich zur Erde,
Ein starker Mann mit dunkelm Haar,
Gar tiefes Weh in der Geberde.
Was wühlt im feuchten Modergrund
Die Hand mit zitterndem Verlangen?
Von Gold ist's wohl ein reicher Fund,
[Daran die]1 Augen gierig hangen? --
[Ein werthlos Ringlein]2 hebt er auf,
Tief seufzend, aus der Todtenasche,
-- Zwei große Thränen fallen drauf --
Und [birgt]3 ihn sorgsam in der Tasche.
[Und zu dem Nachbarn]4 flüstert er,
Der [stumm nach ihm die]5 Blicke lenket:
"Hier -- dreißig Jahre sind es her --
[Ward meine Mutter eingesenket!]6"
View text without footnotes
Confirmed with the anthology Alpenrosen auf das Jahr 1851, Aarau und Thun: J. J. Christen, 1851, page 119.
Confirmed with Liederbuch von Friedrich Oser, 1842-1874. Mit einem biographischen Verzeichnis der Componisten, Basel: Benno Schwabe, Verlagsbuchhandlung, 1875, page 361-362.
1 Alpenrosen edition: "Dran seine"
2 Alpenrosen edition: "'Nen rost'gen Knopf nur"
3 Alpenrosen edition: "burgt"
4 Alpenrosen edition: "Und leis zum Nachbarn"
5 Alpenrosen edition: "nach ihm seine"
6 Alpenrosen edition: "Hier ward mein Vater hingesenket."
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):
Research team for this page: Sharon Krebs
[Senior Associate Editor], Melanie Trumbull
This text was added to the website: 2017-08-29
Line count: 20
Word count: 123
A find
Language: English after the German (Deutsch)
Around the open grave a circle forms,
A young life lies in the shrine;
There is not one eye that, burning hotly,
Does not weep the bright tears of parting!
And one from out of the dense throng
Suddenly stoops hastily to the ground,
A strong man with dark hair,
Deep woe in his demeanour.
For what does his hand scrabble in the damp mould
With such a trembling yearning?
It must be a rich find of gold
Upon which his eyes are greedily fastened? --
[He picks up a worthless little ring]1
From the ashes of the dead with a deep sigh,
-- Two great tears fall upon it --
And stows it carefully in his pocket.
And to his neighbour, who [has]2 mutely turned
His gaze upon him, [he]3 whispers,
"Here -- it is thirty years ago --
[My mother was lowered into the earth!]4"
View text without footnotes
1 Alpenrosen edition: "'Tis only a rusty button that he picks up"
2 Alpenrosen edition: "has mutely"
3 Alpenrosen edition: "he quietly"
4 Alpenrosen edition: "Here my father was buried."
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.
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Based on:
This text was added to the website: 2026-08-26
Line count: 20
Word count: 147
