by Ludwig Heinrich Christoph Hölty (1748 - 1776) and by Johann Heinrich Voss (1751 - 1826)
Translation © by Guy Laffaille

Seligkeit
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Available translation(s): CAT DUT ENG ENG FRE ITA SPA SPA
Freuden sonder Zahl
Blühn im Himmelssaal
[Engeln]1 und Verklärten,
Wie die Väter lehrten.
O da möcht ich sein,
Und mich [freun, mich freun]2!

Jedem lächelt traut
Eine Himmelsbraut;
Harf' und Psalter klinget,
Und man tanzt und singet.
O da möcht' ich sein,
Und mich ewig freun!

Lieber bleib' ich hier,
Lächelt Laura mir
Einen Blick, der saget,
Daß ich ausgeklaget.
Selig dann mit Ihr,
Bleib' ich ewig hier!

View original text (without footnotes)

Confirmed with Gedichte von Ludewig Heinrich Christoph Hölty. Neu besorgt und vermehrt von Johann Heinrich Voss. Hamburg, bei Carl Ernst Bohn. 1804, pages 191-192.

This is the version of Hölty's poem heavily reworked by Voß. For the original version, with the title Minnelied, see below.

1 Lang: "Engel"
2 Lang, Schubert: "ewig freun"

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) , "Benaurança", copyright © 2014, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
  • DUT Dutch (Nederlands) [singable] (Lau Kanen) , "Zaligheid", copyright © 2005, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
  • ENG English (Emily Ezust) , "Bliss", copyright ©
  • ENG English [singable] (Bob Watson) , "Bliss", copyright © 2011, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
  • FRE French (Français) (Guy Laffaille) , "Félicité", copyright © 2010, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
  • ITA Italian (Italiano) (Ferdinando Albeggiani) , "Beatitudine", copyright © 2010, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
  • SPA Spanish (Español) (Mercedes Vivas) , "Felicidad", copyright © 2010, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
  • SPA Spanish (Español) (Covadonga González Bernardo) , "Felicidad", copyright © 2017, (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 between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 18
Word count: 68

Félicité
Language: French (Français)  after the German (Deutsch) 
Des joies sans nombre
Fleurissent dans la salle du ciel
Des anges et des êtres transfigurés,
Comme les Pères nous l'ont appris.
Oh, là-bas je voudrais être
Et me réjouir pour toujours !

À chacun sourit tendrement
Une fiancée céleste ;
Harpe et psaltérion résonnent,
Et on danse et on chante.
Oh, là-bas je voudrais être
Et me réjouir pour toujours !

J'aimerais mieux rester ici,
Si Laura me souriait,
Avec un regard qui dirait
Que je devrais cesser de me plaindre.
Pleinement heureux alors avec elle,
Je voudrais rester ici pour toujours !

Authorship:

  • Translation from German (Deutsch) to French (Français) copyright © 2010 by Guy Laffaille, (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: 2010-01-11
Line count: 18
Word count: 94