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O wüßt ich doch den Weg zurück, Den lieben Weg zum Kinderland! O warum sucht' ich nach dem Glück Und ließ der Mutter Hand? O wie mich sehnet auszuruhn, Von keinem Streben aufgeweckt, Die müden Augen zuzutun, Von Liebe sanft bedeckt! Und nichts zu forschen, nichts zu spähn, Und nur zu träumen leicht und lind; Der Zeiten Wandel nicht zu sehn, Zum zweiten Mal ein Kind! O zeig mir doch den Weg zurück, Den lieben Weg zum Kinderland! Vergebens such ich nach dem Glück, Ringsum ist öder Strand!
About the headline (FAQ)
Text Authorship:
- by Klaus Groth (1819 - 1899), "Heimweh II", appears in Hundert Blätter, Paralipomena zum Quickborn, Hamburg, first published 1854 [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 Carl Banck (1809 - 1889), "Zum Kinderland", op. 83 no. 1, published 1886 [ medium voice and piano ], from Herbstklänge. Acht Gesänge für 1 mittlere Stimme mit Pianofortebegleitung, no. 1, Dresden, Hoffarth [sung text not yet checked]
- by Johannes Brahms (1833 - 1897), "Heimweh II", op. 63 (Neun Lieder und Gesänge) no. 8 (1874), published 1875 [ voice and piano ], Leipzig, Peters [sung text checked 1 time]
- by Alfred Rittershaus (1863 - 1929), "O wüsst' ich doch den Weg zurück", published 1892 [ voice and piano ], from Drei Lieder für 1 Singstimme mit Pianofortebegleitung, no. 3, Berlin, Schlesinger [sung text not yet checked]
- by Gustav Gottfried Weiss (1820 - 1897), "O wüsst' ich doch den Weg zurück", op. 15 (Fünf Lieder für eine Singstimme mit Pianoforte) no. 5, published 1860 [ voice and piano ], Breslau, Leuckart [sung text not yet checked]
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- CAT Catalan (Català) (Salvador Pila) , copyright © 2022, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- DUT Dutch (Nederlands) [singable] (Lau Kanen) , "Heimwee II", copyright © 2011, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- ENG English (Emily Ezust) , no title, copyright © 2019
- FRE French (Français) (Guy Laffaille) , "Mal du pays II", copyright © 2012, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- ITA Italian (Italiano) (Amelia Maria Imbarrato) , "Nostalgia II", copyright © 2008, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 16
Word count: 88
Oh if only I knew the way back, The well-loved road to the land of childhood! Oh why did I seek my fortune And leave my mother's hand? Oh how I yearn to have a rest, Not to be awakened for striving, To close my weary eyes, To be covered gently with love! And to quest for nothing, to spy on nothing, And only to dream, simply and gently, Not to notice the alterations of Time, But to be for a second time, a child! Oh, show me then the way back, The well-loved road to the land of childhood! In vain I seek my fortune, All around me is desolate sand!
About the headline (FAQ)
Translation of title "Heimweh II" = "Homesickness II"
Text Authorship:
- Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2019 by Emily Ezust
Emily Ezust permits her translations to be reproduced without prior permission for printed (not online) programs to free-admission concerts only, provided the following credit is given:
Translation copyright © by Emily Ezust,
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Based on:
- a text in German (Deutsch) by Klaus Groth (1819 - 1899), "Heimweh II", appears in Hundert Blätter, Paralipomena zum Quickborn, Hamburg, first published 1854
This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 16
Word count: 112