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Hat sie's dir denn angethan Im Vorüberschweben, So verfolge rasch die Bahn Zu dem neuen Leben. Hasche dir den Schmetterling Auf dem Rosenhügel, Nimm ihm mit dem blauen Ring Seinen weißen Flügel; Borge von der Biene dann Dir den Honigrüssel, Der zum Griffel dienen kann, Wie zum Blumenschlüssel; Laß das Blatt nun ohne Scheu Durch die Lüfte schnellen: Ist dir Amor hold und treu, Wird's der Wind bestellen.
Confirmed with Gedichte von Friedrich Hebbel, Gesammt-Ausgabe stark vermehrt und verbessert, Stuttgart und Augsburg: J.G. Cotta'scher Verlag, 1857, page 264.
Authorship
- by (Christian) Friedrich Hebbel (1813 - 1863), "Der beste Liebesbrief" [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 Peter Cornelius (1824 - 1874), "Der beste Liebesbrief", op. 6 no. 2 (1861) [ duet for soprano and baritone with piano ] [sung text checked 1 time]
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- ENG English (Sharon Krebs) , "The best love-letter", copyright © 2019, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Research team for this text: Bruno W. Häuptli , Sharon Krebs [Guest Editor]
This text was added to the website: 2004-01-22
Line count: 16
Word count: 68
If she captivated you then In wafting past you, Then follow the path quickly, [The path] to the new life. Catch yourself the butterfly Upon the rosy hill, With the blue ring, take from it Its white wing; Then from the bee borrow The honey-sucking proboscis, Which can serve as a stylus, As well as a key to the flowers; Without fear now let the sheet Dart through the breezes: If Amor is gracious to you and faithful, The wind shall see it delivered.
Authorship
- Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2019 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:
- a text in German (Deutsch) by (Christian) Friedrich Hebbel (1813 - 1863), "Der beste Liebesbrief"
This text was added to the website: 2019-12-26
Line count: 16
Word count: 84