by Franz Xaver Freiherr von Schlechta (1796 - 1875)
Translation © by Ferdinando Albeggiani

Des Sängers Habe
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Available translation(s): CAT DUT ENG FRE ITA
Schlagt mein ganzes Glück in Splitter,
Nehmt mir alle Habe gleich,
Lasset mir nur meine Zither,
Und ich bleibe froh und reich.

Wenn des Grames Wolken ziehen,
Haucht sie Trost in meine Brust,
Und aus ihrem Golde blühen
Alle Blumen meiner Lust.

Will die Liebe nicht gewähren,
Freundschaft brechen ihre Pflicht,
Kann ich beide stolz entbehren,
Aber meine Zither nicht.

Reißet meines Lebens Sehne,
Wird sie mir ein Kissen sein,
Lullen mich die süßen Töne
In den letzten Schlummer ein.

In den Grund des Tannenhaines
Senkt mich leise dann hinab;
Und statt eines Leichensteines
Stellt die Zither auf mein Grab,

Daß ich, wenn zum stillen Reigen,
Aus des Todes dunklem Bann,
Mitternachts die Geister steigen,
Ihre Saiten rühren kann.1

View original text (without footnotes)

Note: Schubert received Schlechta's poem in handwritten form. Schlechta's poem was posthumously printed in a substantially revised version in Ephemeren, see below.

1 Repetition by Schubert: 
Daß ich, wenn aus des Todes Bann
Mitternachts die Geister steigen,
Ihre Saiten rühren kann.

Authorship

Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive)

Another version of this text exists in the database.

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

  • CAT Catalan (Català) (Salvador Pila) , "Els béns del joglar", copyright © 2017, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
  • DUT Dutch (Nederlands) [singable] (Lau Kanen) , "Het bezit van de zanger", copyright © 2007, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
  • ENG English (Sharon Krebs) , "The minstrel's possession", copyright © 2017, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
  • FRE French (Français) (Guy Laffaille) , "Les biens du chanteur", copyright © 2012, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
  • ITA Italian (Italiano) (Ferdinando Albeggiani) , "I beni del menestrello", copyright © 2009, (re)printed on this website with kind permission


Research team for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator] , Sharon Krebs [Guest Editor] , Peter Rastl [Guest Editor]

This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 24
Word count: 119

I beni del menestrello
Language: Italian (Italiano)  after the German (Deutsch) 
Tutta la mia felicità, fatela a pezzi,
prendete ogni mia proprietà,
ma lasciatemi la mia cetra soltanto
e rimarrò ricco e contento.
 
Quando nubi di angoscia mi incalzano,
al mio cuore lei sussurra conforto,
e dalle sue auree corde sbocciano
tutti i fiori della mia gioia.
 
Se l'amore non mi è concesso,
e l'amicizia tradisce i suoi doveri,
ad entrambi posso rinunciare orgoglioso,
ma la mia cetra abbandonare non posso.
 
Quando si spezzeranno della mia vita le corde
La mia cetra mi farà da cuscino
E con un dolce e delicato suono
Mi cullerà nel sonno estremo.
 
Nella terra del boschetto di abeti
Calatemi allora con delicatezza;
ed invece di una lapide funebre
ponetemi sulla tomba la cetra,
 
In modo che io, quando al ballo segreto,
dal reame oscuro di morte,
usciranno gli spiriti a mezzanotte,
possa farne risuonare le corde.1

View original text (without footnotes)
1 Repetition by Schubert: 
In modo che io, quando dal reame di morte
Usciranno gli spiriti a mezzanotte,
possa farne risuonare le corde.

Authorship

  • Translation from German (Deutsch) to Italian (Italiano) copyright © 2009 by Ferdinando Albeggiani, (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: 2009-02-04
Line count: 24
Word count: 141