Zu Augsburg steht ein hohes Haus,
Nah bei dem alten Dom,
Da tritt [an hellem]1 Morgen aus
Ein Mägdelein gar fromm;
   Gesang erschallt, 
   Zum Dome wallt
   Die liebe Gestalt.

Dort vor [Mariä]2 heilig' Bild
Sie betend niederkniet,
Der Himmel hat ihr Herz erfüllt,
Und alle Weltlust flieht:
   "O [Jungfrau]3 rein!
   Laß mich allein
   Dein eigen seyn!"

Alsbald [der Glocke dumpfer]4 Klang
Die Betenden erweckt,
Das Mägdlein wallt die Hall' entlang,
Es weiß nicht, was es trägt;
   [Auf dem Haupte]5 ganz
   Von Himmelsglanz
   Einen Liljenkranz.

Mit Staunen [sehen]6 all' die Leut'
Dieß Kränzlein licht im Haar,
Das Mägdlein aber wallt nicht weit,
Tritt vor den Hochaltar:
   "Zur Nonne weiht
   "Mich arme Maid!
   "Stirb, Lieb' und Freud'!"

[Gott, gib, daß dieses Mägdelein
Ihr Kränzlein friedlich trag']7,
Es ist die [Allerliebste]8 mein,
Bleibt's bis zum jüngsten Tag.
   Sie weiß es nicht,
   Mein Herz zerbricht,
   Stirb, Lieb' und Licht!

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View original text (without footnotes)

Confirmed with Die lyrischen Gedichte von Justinus Kerner, Fünfte verbesserte Auflage, Stuttgart und Tübingen: J.G. Cotta'scher Verlag, 1854, pages 91-92.

¹ Silcher, Spohr: "an einem"
² von Goethe: "Marie"; Schumann: "Marias"
³ Silcher: "Mutter"
⁴ Silcher: "von selbst der Glocke"
⁵ von Goethe, Hetch, Platz, Schumann, Spohr: "Am Haupte"; Silcher: "Auf dem Haupt so"
⁶ Hetsch, Platz, Schumann, Spohr: "schauen"
⁷ Schumann: "Gott, gib, daß dieses Mägd'lein/ Ihr Kränzlein friedlich trag'Mägd'lein"; Silcher: "Gott geb', daß dieses Kränzelein/ Dieß Mägd'lein friedlich trag'"
⁸ Hetsch, Platz, Schumann, Silcher, Spohr: "Herzallerliebste"

Text Authorship:

• by Justinus (Andreas Christian) Kerner (1786 - 1862), "Stirb, Lieb' und Freud'!", appears in Gedichte, in Die lyrischen Gedichte [author's text checked 2 times 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 Walter von Goethe (1817 - 1885), "Stirb, Lieb' und Freud!", op. 7 (Sechs Lieder) no. 2, published 1841/2 [ voice and piano ], Bonn: N.Simrock [sung text checked 1 time]
• by Karl Ludwig Friedrich Hetsch (1806 - 1872), "Die Himmelsbraut", op. 23 (Drei Lieder) no. 2 [sung text checked 1 time]
• by Wilhelm Platz , "Die Himmelsbraut", published 1900, from Hundert Lieder, no. 36 [sung text checked 1 time]
• by Robert Schumann (1810 - 1856), "Stirb, Lieb' und Freud'", op. 35 no. 2 (1840), published 1841 [ voice and piano ], from Zwölf Gedichte von Justinus Kerner, no. 2, Leipzig, Klemm [sung text checked 1 time]
• by (Philipp) Friedrich Silcher (1789 - 1860), "Stirb' Lieb' und Freud", op. 14 no. 6, published c1830 [ four-part men's chorus a cappella ], from Zwölf Volkslieder für vier Männerstimmen, drittes Heft, no. 6, Tübingen: Heinrich Laupp'sche Buchhandlung [sung text checked 1 time]
• by Louis [Ludwig] Spohr (1784 - 1859), "Die Himmelsbraut", op. 105 no. 1 (1838) [sung text checked 1 time]

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

• CAT Catalan (Català) (Salvador Pila) , "Moriu amor i joia!", copyright © 2014, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
• CAT Catalan (Català) (Salvador Pila) , "Moriu amor i joia!", copyright © 2014, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
• DUT Dutch (Nederlands) [singable] (Lau Kanen) , "Sterf, liefde, jij!", copyright © 2012, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
• ENG English (Emily Ezust) , "In Augsburg stands a lofty house", copyright ©
• FRE French (Français) (Pierre Mathé) , copyright © 2011, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
• ITA Italian (Italiano) (Amelia Maria Imbarrato) , "Estinguiti, amore e gioia", copyright © 2006, (re)printed on this website with kind permission

Research team for this page: Emily Ezust [Administrator] , Sharon Krebs [Senior Associate Editor], Melanie Trumbull

This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 35
Word count: 154

 In Augsburg stands a lofty house,
 near the old cathedral.
 Out into the bright morning steps
 a pious maiden;
 a hymn rings out
 and to the cathedral
 the dear figure goes.
 
 There in front of Mary's sacred image
 she kneels down to pray:
 Heaven has filled her heart
 and all earthly joy flees:
 "O Virgin pure!
 Let me be
 yours alone!"
 
 When the muffled toll of the bells
 awakens the worshippers,
 the maiden walks along the halls:
 she does not know what she is wearing;
 upon her head
 bright with Heaven's gleam,
 there is a wreath of lilies.
 
 With astonishment gaze all the people
 at this little wreath, bright in her hair,
 but the maiden does not go far;
 She steps in front of the high altar:
 "Dedicate me as a nun,
 me, your poor maid!
 Die, love and joy!"
 
 God, grant that this maiden
 may wear her wreathe in peace;
 she is my heart's true love,
 and she will remain so until Judgment Day.
 She does not know it,
 and my heart is breaking;
 Die, love and light!