Jugend und Alter
Language: German (Deutsch)
Jugend, dich hab' ich so lieb!
Alter kommt wie ein Dieb,
Nimmt den Rosen [Farb']1 und Duft,
Vöglein ihren Flug in der Luft,
Bäumen und Reben ihren Saft,
Und dem Menschen seine Kraft.
Jugend, dich hab' ich so gern!
Alter, bleibe du fern!
[Hauche]2 des Mägdleins Locke nicht an!
Ei, was hat dir die Wange getan?
Kannst du nicht leiden Tanz und [Gesang]3,
Willst du töten der Stimme Klang?
Jugend, ich flehe zu dir,
Werde Zauberin mir!
Wird der Wangen Röte nicht jung,
[Kehret]4 nicht wieder der Füsse Schwung --
Rette die Seele vor Alters List,
Daß ich dich [lobe]5, wie schön du bist!
Available sung texts: (what is this?)
• C. Loewe View original text (without footnotes)
1 Loewe: "Farben"
2 Loewe: "Hauch'"
3 Loewe: "Sang"
4 Loewe: "Kehrt"
5 Loewe: "preise"
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):
- ENG English (John H. Campbell) , "Youth and age", copyright ©, (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: 18
Word count: 110
Youth and age
Language: English after the German (Deutsch)
Youth, I hold you so dear!
Age comes like a thief,
taking the roses' colors and fragrance,
The little bird her flight in the air,
Trees and vines their juice,
and the man his strength.
Youth, I cherish you!
Age, stay you distant,
do not breathe on the maiden's curls,
ah, what has happened to your cheeks?
Can you not dance and sing,
do you wish to still the sound of voices?
Youth, I plead with you,
make me a sorceress!
If the cheeks' ruddiness does not grow youthful,
at least do not weaken the vigor of these feet;
save this soul from age's cunning,
that I may praise you as the beauty you are.
Text Authorship:
- Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © by John H. Campbell, (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:
This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 18
Word count: 116
