by Hermann Hesse (1877 - 1962)
Translation © by Salvador Pila

Gebet
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Our translations:  CAT ENG FRE
Wenn ich einmal vor deinem Antlitz stehe,
Dann denke, wie du mich allein gelassen,
Und denke, wie ich irrend in den Gassen
Verwaist und trostlos war in meinem Wehe.

Dann denke jener schrecklich dunklen Nächte,
Da ich in Not und heißem Heimweh bangte
Und wie ein Kind nach deiner Hand verlangte
Und da du mir versagtest deine Rechte.
 
Und denke jener Zeit, da ich als Knabe
Zu dir zurück an jedem Tage kehrte,
Und meiner Mutter, die mich beten lehrte
Und der ich mehr als dir zu danken habe.

Please note: this text, provided here for educational and research use, is in the public domain in Canada and the U.S., but it may still be copyright in other legal jurisdictions. The LiederNet Archive makes no guarantee that the above text is public domain in your country. Please consult your country's copyright statutes or a qualified IP attorney to verify whether a certain text is in the public domain in your country or if downloading or distributing a copy constitutes fair use. The LiederNet Archive assumes no legal responsibility or liability for the copyright compliance of third parties.

Confirmed with Hermann Hesse, Sämtliche Werke, herausgegeben von Volker Michels, Band 10 Die Gedichte, bearbeitet von Peter Huber, Frankfurt am Main: Suhrkamp Verlag, 2002, page 81.


Text Authorship:

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

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

  • CAT Catalan (Català) (Salvador Pila) , "Pregària", copyright © 2025, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
  • ENG English (Sharon Krebs) , "Prayer", subtitle: "(1901)", copyright © 2018, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
  • FRE French (Français) (Pierre Mathé) , "Prière", copyright © 2018, (re)printed on this website with kind permission


Research team for this page: Emily Ezust [Administrator] , Sharon Krebs [Guest Editor]

This text was added to the website: 2009-05-21
Line count: 12
Word count: 89

Pregària
Language: Catalan (Català)  after the German (Deutsch) 
Quan un dia em trobi davant la teva faç,
llavors, recorda que em deixares sol,
i recorda com jo, orfe i desconsolat,
errava pels carrers en la meva pena.

Llavors, recorda aquelles terribles fosques nits
en les que, en fretura i ardent enyorança m’angoixava
i demanava que em donessis la mà com un infant
i que em refusares la teva mà dreta.

I recorda aquell temps en què sent un minyó
retornava a tu cada dia,
i a la meva mare que em va ensenyar a pregar
i a qui tinc més d’agrair que a tu.

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from German (Deutsch) to Catalan (Català) copyright © 2025 by Salvador Pila, (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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This text was added to the website: 2025-01-25
Line count: 12
Word count: 96