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O sagt, ihr Lieben, mir einmal, Welch Ding ist's, Licht genannt? Was sind des Sehens Freuden all', Die niemals ich gekannt? Die Sonne, die so hell ihr seht, Mir Armen scheint sie nie; Ihr sagt, sie auf und nieder geht, Ich weiß nicht wann, noch wie. Ich mach' mir selbst so Tag [wie]1 Nacht, Dieweil ich schlaf' und spiel', Mein inn'res Leben schön mir lacht, Ich hab' der Freuden viel. Zwar kenn' ich nicht, was euch erfreut, Doch drückt mich keine Schuld, D'rum freu' ich mich in meinem Leid, Und trag' es mit Geduld. Ich bin so glücklich, bin so reich Mit dem, was Gott mir gab, Bin wie ein König froh, obgleich Ein armer blinder Knab'.
Note: Schubert received Craigher's poem in handwritten form. Craigher did not include it in the printed edition of his poems.
1 Schubert (first print 1827 and Alte Gesamtausgabe): "und"Authorship
- by Jakob Nikolaus Craigher de Jachelutta (1797 - 1855), "Der blinde Knabe"
- a text in English by Colley Cibber (1671 - 1757), "The blind boy"
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), "Der blinde Knabe", op. 101 no. 2, D 833 (1825), published 1827, first performed 1829 [ voice, piano ], attachment to Wiener Zeitschrift für Kunst, Literatur, Theater und Mode [sung text checked 1 time]
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- DUT Dutch (Nederlands) [singable] (Lau Kanen) , "De blinde jongen", copyright © 2009, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- ENG English (Malcolm Wren) , "The blind lad", copyright © 2020, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- FRE French (Français) (Guy Laffaille) , "Le garçon aveugle", copyright © 2010, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- ITA Italian (Italiano) (Ferdinando Albeggiani) , "Il fanciullo cieco", copyright © 2010, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Research team for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator] , Peter Rastl [Guest Editor]
This text was added to the website: 2003-11-07
Line count: 20
Word count: 117
Vertel mij, vrienden, eens misschien Het licht zien, wat dat is. Wat is zo heerlijk aan het zien, Dat ik zo lang al mis? De zon, ja, die zo stralend staat, Voor mij is zij taboe; Men zegt dat z' op- en ondergaat, Maar och, wanneer en hoe. Ik schep mijzelf dus dag en nacht, Doordat ik slaap en speel, Mijn innerlijk leven schenkt mij pracht, Ik heb toch vreugden veel. Wel ken ik niet wat u verblijdt, Maar 'k voel verdriet noch schuld, Ik ben dus blij hoewel ik lijd En draag het met geduld. Ik ben gelukkig, voel mij wel Met wat ik in mij vind; Ben als een koning blij, hoewel Een jongen, arm en blind.
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:
- a text in German (Deutsch) by Jakob Nikolaus Craigher de Jachelutta (1797 - 1855), "Der blinde Knabe"
- a text in English by Colley Cibber (1671 - 1757), "The blind boy"
This text was added to the website: 2009-04-23
Line count: 20
Word count: 119