by Else Lasker-Schüler (1869 - 1945)
Translation © by Gary Bachlund (b. 1947)

Es ist ein Weinen in der Welt
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Available translation(s): ENG FRE
Es ist ein Weinen in der Welt,
als ob der liebe Gott gestorben wär,
und der bleierne Schatten, der niederfällt,
lastet grabesschwer.

Komm, wir wollen uns näher verbergen ...
Das Leben liegt in aller Herzen
wie in Särgen.

Du! wir wollen uns tief küssen -
Es pocht eine Sehnsucht an die Welt,
an der wir sterben müssen.

About the headline (FAQ)

Authorship:

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

Settings in other languages, adaptations, or excerpts:

  • Also set in Spanish (Español), a translation by Anonymous/Unidentified Artist , "Fin del mundo" ; composed by Lucio Bruno-Videla.

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

  • ENG English (Gary Bachlund) , "The end of the world", copyright © 2005, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
  • FRE French (Français) (Pierre Mathé) , "Fin du monde", copyright © 2010, (re)printed on this website with kind permission


Research team for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator] , Karl Bellenberg [Guest Editor]

This text was added to the website: 2006-07-13
Line count: 10
Word count: 57

The end of the world
Language: English  after the German (Deutsch) 
There is weeping in the world, 
As if the dear god were dead, 
And the leaden shadows that fall
Weigh heavily as the grave.

Come, we will hide ourselves together...
Life lives in all hearts 
as in coffins.

You! we will kiss deeply --
There is a yearning beating in the world, 
by which we must die.

Authorship:

Based on:

 
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]

This text was added to the website: 2009-03-12
Line count: 10
Word count: 56