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Lebensfunke, vom Himmel [entglüht]1, Der sich loszuwinden müht! [Zitternd-kühn]2, vor Sehnen leidend, Gern und doch mit Schmerzen scheidend - End' o end' den Kampf, Natur! Sanft ins Leben Aufwärts schweben, Sanft hinschwinden laß mich nur. Horch!, mir lispeln Geister zu: "Schwester-Seele, komm zur Ruh!" Ziehet was mich sanft von hinnen? Was ists, [das]3 mir meine [Sinnen]4, Mir den Hauch zu rauben droht? Seele sprich, ist das der Tod? Die Welt entweicht! Sie ist nicht mehr! [Harmonieen]5 um mich her! Ich [schwimm']6 im Morgenroth - Leiht, o leiht mir eure Schwingen, Ihr [Brüder-Geister]7! helft mir singen: "O Grab, wo ist dein Sieg? wo ist dein Pfeil, o Tod?"
About the headline (FAQ)
View original text (without footnotes)Confirmed with Zerstreute Blätter von J.G.Herder. Zweite Sammlung. Gotha 1786, bey Carl Wilhelm Ertinger, pages 375-376.
The poem is part of Herder's essay "Wie die Alten den Tod gebildet: ein Nachtrag zu Leßings Abhandlung desselben Inhalts".
1 Herder (1796 edition), and Schubert (Neue Gesamtausgabe): "erglüht"2 Schubert: "Zitternd, kühn"
3 Schubert: "was"
4 Schubert: "Sinne"
5 Schubert: "Engel-Einklang"
6 Schubert: "schweb'"
7 Schubert: "Brüder, Geister"
Text Authorship:
- by Johann Gottfried Herder (1744 - 1803), no title, subtitle: "Popens sterbender Christ an seine Seele", first published 1774 [author's text checked 1 time against a primary source]
Based on:
- a text in English by Alexander Pope (1688 - 1744), "The dying Christian to his Soul", written 1712
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
- by Franz Peter Schubert (1797 - 1828), "Verklärung", D 59 (1813), published 1832 [ voice, piano ] [sung text checked 1 time]
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- CAT Catalan (Català) (Salvador Pila) , "Transfiguració", copyright © 2016, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- DUT Dutch (Nederlands) [singable] (Lau Kanen) , "Verheerlijking: De stervende christen tot zijn ziel", copyright © 2009, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- FRE French (Français) (Guy Laffaille) , "Le Christ mourant à son âme", copyright © 2010, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Research team for this page: Emily Ezust [Administrator] , Peter Rastl [Guest Editor]
This text was added to the website: 2003-11-07
Line count: 20
Word count: 105
Levensvonk, door de hemel gebracht, Die zich los te wringen tracht! Bevend, sterk, en smachtend lijdend, Graag en toch met smarten scheidend! Staak, o staak de strijd, natuur! Zacht naar 't leven Opwaarts zweven, Laat mij heengaan zacht en puur. Hoor! Zacht zegt mij 't eng'lenheir1: 'Ziel, o zuster, vecht niet meer!' Word ik zacht van hier getrokken? Waardoor zie ik niets dan vlokken, Raak ik nu in ademnood? Zeg mij, ziel, is dat de dood? De wereld wijkt! Voorbij is zij! Eng'lenkoren rondom mij! Ik zweef in 't morgenrood! Help mij scheiden van de dingen, Gij, broeders2. Geesten, help mij zingen: 'O graf, waar is je winst? Waar is je steek, o dood?
Verheerlijking: overeenkomstig de inhoud van het gedicht geef ik aan dit beloftevolle woord de voorkeur boven het neutrale gedaanteverandering of metamorfose. Verheerlijking is volgens de bijbel en het christendom de gedaanteverandering die de mens, resp. de menselijke ziel, bij de dood ondergaat wanneer zij tot de hemel toegelaten wordt.
1 Deze vertaling grijpt hier en daar terug op de oorspronkelijke tekst van Pope
2 Schubert splitst het woord 'Brüder-Geister'. Hij betrekt 'Brüder' bij 'Leiht mir Schwingen' en 'Geister' bij 'helft mir singen'.
Text Authorship:
- Singable translation from German (Deutsch) to Dutch (Nederlands) copyright © 2009 by Lau Kanen, (re)printed on this website with kind permission. To reprint and distribute this author's work for concert programs, CD booklets, etc., please ask the copyright-holder(s) directly.
Lau Kanen. Contact: boudewijnkanen (AT) gmail (DOT) com
If the copyright-holder(s) are unreachable for three business days, please write to: licenses@email.lieder.example.net
Based on:
- a text in German (Deutsch) by Johann Gottfried Herder (1744 - 1803), no title, subtitle: "Popens sterbender Christ an seine Seele", first published 1774
Based on:
- a text in English by Alexander Pope (1688 - 1744), "The dying Christian to his Soul", written 1712
This text was added to the website: 2009-02-16
Line count: 21
Word count: 114