by Emanuel von Geibel (1815 - 1884)
Translation Singable translation by Gwendolen Gore
Sag an, du wildes, oft getäuschtes Herz
Language: German (Deutsch)
Sag an, du wildes, oft [getäuschtes]1 Herz, Was sollen diese lauten Schläge nun? Willst du nach so viel namenlosem Schmerz Nicht endlich ruhn? Die Jugend ist dahin, der Duft zerstob, Die Rosenblüthe fiel vom Lebensbaum, [Ach,]2 was dich einst zu allen Himmeln hob, Es war ein Traum. Die Blüthe fiel, mir blieb der scharfe Dorn, Noch immer aus der Wunde quillt das Blut, Es [sind]3 das Weh, die Sehnsucht und der Zorn Mein einzig Gut. Und dennoch, brächte man mir Lethe's Fluth, Und spräche: Trink, du sollst genesen sein, Sollst fühlen, wie so sanft Vergessen thut, Ich [sagte]4: Nein! War alles nur ein wesenloser Trug, Er war so schön, er war so selig doch; Ich fühl' es tief bei jedem Athemzug: Ich liebe noch. D'rum laßt mich geh'n, und blute still mein Herz, Ich suche einen Ort bei Nacht und Tag, Wo mit dem letzten Lied ich Lieb und Schmerz Verhauchen mag.
About the headline (FAQ)
View original text (without footnotes)1 Blumenthal: "gekränktes"
2 Blumenthal: "Und"
3 Blumenthal: "ist"
4 Blumenthal: "sage"
Text Authorship:
- by Emanuel von Geibel (1815 - 1884), "In der Ferne" [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 Jacques (Jacob) Blumenthal (1829 - 1908), "Letzte Sehnsucht" [voice and piano] [text verified 1 time]
- by Heinrich August Marschner (1795 - 1861), "In der Ferne", op. 134 no. 1, published 1846 [tenor or soprano and piano], from Sechs Gedichte von E. Geibel, für Tenor oder Sopran mit Pianoforte, no. 1, Leipzig, Hofmeister [text not verified]
- by Heinrich August Marschner (1795 - 1861), "In der Ferne", op. 177 no. 2, published 1857 [voice and piano], from Drei Lieder von E. Geibel, no. 2, Wien, Lewy [text not verified]
Available translations, adaptations, and transliterations (if applicable):
- ENG English [singable] (Gwendolen Gore) , title 1: "A last longing"
Researcher for this page: Harry Joelson
This text was added to the website: 2009-07-01
Line count: 24
Word count: 152
A last longing
Language: English  after the German (Deutsch)
Oh speak, thou weary, disappointed soul, What mean these throbbings of a youth long past? Hast thou not struggled long to reach the goal And rest at last? The spring is over now, the roses dead, And slowly flows, alas! this shallow stream, And all that once made run life's wine so red, Is but a dream! The blossom fell, the sharp thorn pieced my side, But from the wound the lifeblood still runs hot, And now are grief, and passion's bitter pride, My only lot. And yet, if angels heard my weary call, And whispered: "Here is Lethe for thy woe, Oh taste the sweetness of forgetting all," I'd answer: "No"! Ah! was it all a hollow vain deceit? It seemed so fair, a blessing from above, I feel, alas! with ev'ry breath so fleet, That still I love! Well, let me go, e'en with my falling breath, I'll seek that haven where I fain would be, In some fair land of love and pain and death, Eternally, I fain would be.
From the Blumenthal score.
Researcher for this page: Harry Joelson
Text Authorship:
- Singable translation by Gwendolen Gore , "A last longing" [author's text checked 1 time against a primary source]
Based on:
- a text in German (Deutsch) by Emanuel von Geibel (1815 - 1884), "In der Ferne"
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
- [ None yet in the database ]
Researcher for this page: Harry Joelson
This text was added to the website: 2009-07-01
Line count: 24
Word count: 173