Dem Herzen ähnlich, wenn es lang
Language: German (Deutsch)
Available translation(s): CAT DUT ENG FRE ITA
Dem Herzen ähnlich, wenn es lang
Umsonst nach einer Träne rang,
Die seine Qual entbinde,
Sprengt nun die Erde, die erstarrt
Von Reif und Frost gebunden ward,
Die eis'ge Winterrinde.
Durch Wald und Feld, um Berg und See
Sprießt wuchernd auf ihr altes Weh'
Und grünt in Zweig und Ranken
Und dunkelt in dem Himmelsblau
Und zittert in [den]1 Tropfen Tau,
Die an den Gräsern schwanken.
Nun, Gram um sie, die ich verlor,
Erstarrter, brich auch du hervor,
Um mit dem Strom zu fluten!2
Im Blitz der Wolke sollst du glüh'n
Und mit den Nachtviolen blüh'n
Und [in]3 den Rosen bluten.
About the headline (FAQ)
View original text (without footnotes)
1 Strauss: "der" (a mistake in the score?)
2 Strauss adds here "Brich hervor!"
3 Strauss: "mit"
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):
- CAT Catalan (Català) (Salvador Pila) , "Dels cants de la tristor", copyright © 2016, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- DUT Dutch (Nederlands) [singable] (Lau Kanen) , "Uit de treurliederen", subtitle: "Zoals het hart doet", copyright © 2019, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- ENG English (Bertram Kottmann) , "Songs of sadness", copyright © 2013, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- FRE French (Français) (Pierre Mathé) , "Des chants de tristesse", copyright © 2009, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- ITA Italian (Italiano) (Ferdinando Albeggiani) , "Dai canti del dolore", copyright © 2014, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Researcher for this page: Alberto Pedrotti
This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 18
Word count: 101
Songs of sadness
Language: English  after the German (Deutsch)
Alike the heart that has for long
strived for a tear to no avail,
that may release its anguish,
the earth that was congealed and bound
by heavy rime and pinching frost
now breaks the crust of winter.
In woods and fields, round hills and lakes,
its same old woe is bursting forth,
turns green on branch and tendrils
and darkens in the azure skies
and shivers in the drops of dew
that waver with the grasses.
Now, grief for her, that I have lost,
awake, break forth from numbness, too,
flow freely with the river.
In clouds of lightning you shall glow
with damask violets you shall blow
and bleed dry with the roses.
Authorship:
Based on:
This text was added to the website: 2013-07-26
Line count: 18
Word count: 115