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by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749 - 1832)

Harfenspieler I
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Our translations:  CAT DUT ENG FRE GRE ITA SPA
Wer sich der Einsamkeit ergibt
Ach! der ist bald allein,
Ein jeder lebt, ein jeder liebt,
Und läßt ihn seiner [Pein]1.

Ja, laßt mich meiner [Qual]2!
Und kann ich nur einmal
Recht einsam seyn,
Dann bin ich nicht allein.

Es schleicht ein Liebender lauschend [sacht]3!
Ob seine Freundin allein?
So überschleicht bei Tag und Nacht
Mich Einsamen die Pein,
Mich Einsamen die Qual.
Ach werd ich erst einmal
Einsam in Grabe seyn,
[Da]4 läßt [sie]5 mich allein!
View original text (without footnotes)

Confirmed with Goethe's Werke. Vollständige Ausgabe letzter Hand. Zweyter Band. Stuttgart und Tübingen, in der J.G.Cotta'schen Buchhandlung. 1827, page 120; and with Goethe's Werke. Vollständige Ausgabe letzter Hand. Achtzehnter Band. Stuttgart und Tübingen, in der J.G.Cotta'schen Buchhandlung. 1828, pages 219-220.

First published in Wilhelm Meisters Lehrjahre. Ein Roman. Herausgegeben von Goethe. Erster Band. Berlin. Bey Johann Friedrich Unger. 1795, pages 348-349. The poem appears in Book 2, Chapter 13 of Goethe's novel.

1 Schubert (D.325): "Qual"
2 Schubert (D.325): "Pein"
3 Schubert (D.478/2, first version): "ach"
4 Zelter: "Dann"
5 Schubert (autograph of D.325): "ihr"

Composition:

Text Authorship:

See other settings of this text.

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

  • CAT Catalan (Català) (Salvador Pila) , copyright © 2016, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
  • DUT Dutch (Nederlands) [singable] (Lau Kanen) , "Wie aan de eenzaamheid zich wijdt", copyright © 2008, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
  • ENG English (Emily Ezust) , "He who gives himself over to solitude", copyright ©
  • FRE French (Français) (Pierre Mathé) , copyright © 2009, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
  • GRE Greek (Ελληνικά) [singable] (Christakis Poumbouris) , copyright © 2018, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
  • ITA Italian (Italiano) (Amelia Maria Imbarrato) , "Chi sceglie solitudine", copyright © 2006, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
  • SPA Spanish (Español) (unknown or anonymous translator) , written 2012


Research team for this page: Emily Ezust [Administrator] , Peter Rastl [Guest Editor]

This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 16
Word count: 77