A child addressing an extinguished candle | You poor, poor candle will shed no light from now on

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by Adelbert von Chamisso (1781 - 1838)

Translation © by Sharon Krebs

Das Kind an die erloschene Kerz

Language: German (Deutsch)

Our translations: ENG FRE

Du arme, arme Kerze gibst fürder keinen Schein, 
erloschen ist so schnelle 
Dein Licht, das freud'ge, helle,
o mußt es also sein! 
Du arme, arme Kerze gibst fürder keinen Schein!

S'ist nicht, weil ich nun weilen muß in der Dunkelheit!
O brenntest du nur immer, 
und gäb dein lieber Schimmer
nur andern Freudigkeit! 
S'ist nicht, weil ich nun weilen muß in der Dunkelheit! 

Du arme, arme Kerze gibst fürder keinen Schein!
S'ist nicht, weil ich alleine
im Dunkeln bin und weine,
ich bin ja gern allein! 
Du arme, arme Kerze gibst fürder keinen Schein!

Text Authorship:

by Adelbert von Chamisso (1781 - 1838), "Das Kind an die erloschene Kerz", appears in Lieder und lyrisch epische Gedichte [author's text not yet checked 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 Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche (1844 - 1900), "Das Kind an die erloschene Kerz", NWV 27 (1864) [sung text checked 1 time]

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

ENG English (Sharon Krebs) , "A child addressing an extinguished candle", copyright © 2011, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
FRE French (Français) (Pierre Mathé) , "L'enfant à la bougie éteinte", copyright © 2015, (re)printed on this website with kind permission

Researcher for this page: John Versmoren

This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 15
Word count: 94

A child addressing an extinguished candle

Language: English after the German (Deutsch)

You poor, poor candle will shed no light from now on,
Extinguished is so quickly
Your light, the joyful, bright [light],
Oh did it have to be!
You poor, poor candle will shed no light from now on.

It's not that I must now abide in darkness!
Oh if you were only burning for always,
And if your dear gleaming
Only gave pleasure to others!
It's not that I must now abide in darkness!

You poor, poor candle will shed no light from now on.
It's not that I am alone
In darkness and am weeping,
For I am glad to be alone!
You poor, poor candle will shed no light from now on.

Text Authorship:

Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2011 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 Adelbert von Chamisso (1781 - 1838), "Das Kind an die erloschene Kerz", appears in Lieder und lyrisch epische Gedichte
- Go to the text page.

This text was added to the website: 2011-01-11
Line count: 15
Word count: 114