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Die ganze Welt ist viel zu groß, Sie an ein Herz zu fassen; Dazu genugt nur Gottes Schoß, Dem bleibt es überlassen; Ein Menschenherz ist viel zu klein, Um liebend sich der Welt zu weihn. Du mußt an eine treue Brust [Insonders]1 hin dich neigen, Ihr alle deine Liebeslust Ausschließlich geben eigen; Wer so ein Herz am Herzen halt, Der liebt in Ihm die ganze Welt.
About the headline (FAQ)
View original text (without footnotes)Note: sometimes published without a title
1 when published without a title, "Besonders"
Text Authorship:
- by Friedrich Rückert (1788 - 1866), "Liebe im Kleinen" [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 Algernon Bennet Langton Ashton (1859 - 1937), "Die ganze Welt ist viel zu groß", op. 138 (Acht Lieder) no. 3 [sung text not yet checked]
- by Gustav Bergmann (1837 - 1892), "Ihr Herz die Welt", op. 32 (Sechs Gesänge) no. 5, published 1883 [ SATB chorus a cappella ] [sung text not yet checked]
- by Emil Egon (Maximilian Fridrich Karl Leopold Wilhelm Franz), Fürst von Fürstenberg (1825 - 1899), as Emil Urach, "Liebe im Kleinen", published 1881 [ voice and piano ], from Drei Lieder für 1 Singstimme mit Pianoforte, no. 2, Prag, Hoffmann [sung text not yet checked]
- by Carl Friedrich August Hering (1819 - 1889), "Liebe im Kleinen", op. 2 (Fünf Lieder für eine Singstimme mit Pianoforte) no. 3 [ voice and piano ], Magdeburg, Heinrichshofen's Verlag [sung text not yet checked]
- by Eduard Hille (1822 - 1891), "Die ganze Welt", op. 27 (6 Lieder) no. 2, published 1862 [ voice and piano ], Hannover, Nagel [sung text not yet checked]
- by Friedrich [Fritz] Kirchner (1840 - 1907), "Die ganze Welt ist viel zu gross", op. 137 (Zwei Lieder für 1 Mittelstimme mit Pianoforte) no. 1, published 1886 [ medium voice and piano ], Oldenburg, Hintzen [sung text not yet checked]
- by (Carl Franz) Edmund Kretschmer (1830 - 1908), "Liebe im Kleinen", op. 24, published 1876 [ baritone and piano ], Wien, Schreiber [sung text not yet checked]
- by Heinrich Kaspar Schmid (1874 - 1953), "Liebe im Kleinen", op. 31 no. 7, published 1920 [ voice and lute or piano or guitar ], from Liederspiel zur Laute nach Gedichten von Dehmel und Rückert, no. 7, Mainz : Schott [sung text not yet checked]
- by Richard Ferdinand Wüerst (1824 - 1881), "Liebe im Kleinen", op. 20 (Lieder und Gesänge), Heft 4 no. 10, published 1860 [ voice and piano ], Magdeburg, Heinrichshofen's Verlag [sung text not yet checked]
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- ENG English (Michael P Rosewall) , copyright © 2025, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
This text was added to the website: 2009-05-15
Line count: 12
Word count: 67
The entire world is much too large For any heart to embrace; Only God’s bosom is large enough for that, So it is left up to Him; The heart of a man is far too small To pledge itself lovingly to the world. You must chiefly lean upon A breast that is faithful; Give all of the love in your heart Completely to it; They who hold such a heart to their own, May, through it, love the whole world.
About the headline (FAQ)
Translations of titles:
"Die ganze Welt" = "The entire world"
"Die ganze Welt ist viel zu groß" = "The entire world is much too large"
"Die ganze Welt ist viel zu gross" = "The entire world is much too large"
"Ihr Herz die Welt" = "Your heart the world"
"Liebe im Kleinen" = "Love in little things"
Text Authorship:
- Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2025 by Michael P Rosewall, (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 Rückert (1788 - 1866), "Liebe im Kleinen"
This text was added to the website: 2025-10-28
Line count: 12
Word count: 80