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Hört, Sionitinnen, Meine Gespielinnen! Seht mich mitleidig an, Saget dem Bräutigam, Liebe [verwunde]1 mich, Nimmer gesunde ich. Stützet die wankende Schmachtend erkrankende; Bettet auf Düften sie Kühlet mit Lüften sie: Denn in mir wälzen sich Flammen, und schmelzen mich. Häufet mir labende Schlummerbegabende Zweige zusammen auf, Legt mich in Flammen drauf: Als Phönix sterb' ich so, Leben erwerb' ich so. Ob Lieben Leiden sey, Ob Leiden Lieben sey, Weiss ich zu sagen nicht; Aber ich klage nicht; Lieblich das Leiden ist, Wenn Leiden [Lieben]2 ist. Liebe, was quälst du mich? Besser entseelst du mich. Zögernde Peinigung Hemmt die Vereinigung: Jahr' aus Sekunden hier Machen die Wunden mir. Brich aus des Lebens [Schooß]3, O Seele, strebend los! Das Feuer eilt hinauf, Und nimmer weilt im Lauf Bis an des Himmels Rand; Dort ist mein Vaterland.
J. Lang sets stanzas 1, 4-6
Confirmed with Musen-Almanach für das Jahr 1802, herausgegeben von A.W. Schlegel und L. Tieck, Tübingen: in der Cotta’schen Buchhandlung, 1802, pages 212-213.
Notes for the Lang score:
Stanza 1 line 1 word 2 has the following typo: "Sionnitinnen"
Stanza 4 line 1 word 4 is modernized to "sei" but the following line is not.
2 Lang: "Liebe"
3 Lang: "Schoos"
Text Authorship:
- by August Wilhelm Schlegel (1767 - 1845), "Die vor Liebe sterbende Maria", appears in Hymnen nach dem Lateinischen [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- by Josephine Lang (1815 - 1880), "Die vor Liebe sterbende Maria", c1869?, stanzas 1,4-6 [ voice and piano ], unpublished [sung text checked 1 time]
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- ENG English (Sharon Krebs) , "Maria, dying of love", copyright © 2019, (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: 2019-06-24
Line count: 36
Word count: 139
Hearken, daughters of Zion, My playmates! Gaze pityingly upon me, Tell the bridegroom, Love [wounds]1 me, I shall never recover. Support the tottering, Languishing, ailing one; Bed her upon scents, Cool her with breezes: For within me, flames roil And melt me. Pile up refreshing, Slumber-enhancing Branches together, Place me in flames upon them: As a Phoenix I die thus, Thus I attain life. If love be suffering If suffering be love, I cannot say; But I do not lament; Suffering is lovely If suffering be [loving]2. Love, why do you torture me? Better to kill me. Tarrying torture Hampers the union: Seconds are made to seem like years To me by my wounds. Break forth from the womb of life, Oh soul, with striving! The fire hastens upward, And never tarries in its course Until it reaches the borders of Heaven; There is my homeland.
1 Lang: "has wounded"
2 Lang: "love"
Text Authorship:
- Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2019 by Sharon Krebs, (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.
Contact: licenses@email.lieder.example.net
Based on:
- a text in German (Deutsch) by August Wilhelm Schlegel (1767 - 1845), "Die vor Liebe sterbende Maria", appears in Hymnen nach dem Lateinischen
This text was added to the website: 2019-06-24
Line count: 36
Word count: 150