by Karl Gottfried von Leitner (1800 - 1890)
Translation © by Emily Ezust

Das Weinen
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Available translation(s): CAT DUT ENG FRE
Gar tröstlich kommt geronnen
Der Thränen heil'ger Quell
Recht wie ein Heilungs-Bronnen,
So bitter, heiß und hell.
Darum du Brust voll Wunden,
Voll Gram und stiller Pein,
Und willst du bald gesunden,
So tauche da hinein.

Es wohnt in diesen Wellen
Geheime Wunderkraft,
Die ist für wehe Stellen
Ein linder Balsamsaft.
Die wächst mit deinen Schmerzen,
Und fasset, hebt und rollt
Den bösen Stein vom Herzen,
Der dich [zerdrücken]1 wollt'.

Das hab' ich selbst empfunden
[Hier in dem]2 Trauerland,
Wenn ich, vom Flor umwunden,
An lieben Gräbern stand.
Da schalt in irrem Wähnen
Ich selbst auf meinen Gott,
Es hielten nur die Thränen
Der Hoffnung Schiffchen flott.

Drum, hält dich [auch]3 umfangen
Der Schwermuth trübste Nacht,
Vertrau' in allem Bangen
Der Thränen Zaubermacht.
Bald, wenn vom heißen Weinen
Dir roth das Auge glüht,
Wird neu der Tag erscheinen;
Weil schon der Morgen blüht.

View original text (without footnotes)

Confirmed with Gedichte von Carl Gottfried Ritter von Leitner. Wien, gedruckt bey J. P. Sollinger. 1825, pages 76-77; and with Gedichte von Karl Gottfried Ritter v. Leitner. Zweite sehr vermehrte Auflage. Hannover. Victor Lohse. 1857, pages 23-24.

1 Leitner (1857 edition): "erdrücken"
2 Leitner (1857 edition): "In diesem"
3 Leitner (1857 edition): "gleich"

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) , "El plorar", copyright © 2018, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
  • DUT Dutch (Nederlands) [singable] (Lau Kanen) , "Het schreien", copyright © 2007, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
  • ENG English (Emily Ezust) , "Weeping", copyright ©
  • FRE French (Français) (Guy Laffaille) , "Pleurer", copyright © 2011, (re)printed on this website with kind permission


Research team for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator] , Peter Rastl [Guest Editor]

Text added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Last modified: 2017-10-03 13:23:22
Line count: 32
Word count: 143

Weeping
Language: English  after the German (Deutsch) 
 So soothingly flows
 the stream of holy tears,
 Just like a healing spring,
 bitter, hot and clear.
 So you, my heart, full of wounds,
 full of grief and silent pain --
 if you would soon recover,
 then immerse yourself there.

 Dwelling in these waves
 is a secret magic power,
 that is to woeful wounds
 like gentle balm;
 It grows with your pain,
 and seizes it, lifting and rolling away
 from your heart the terrible stone
 that would crush you.

 This have I myself felt,
 here in this land of sorrow,
 when, draped in mourning crêpe,
 I stood by the graves of loved ones.
 There, in terrible frenzies,
 I would curse my god;
 It was only my tears
 that kept afloat hope's little ship.

 So when you, too, are surrounded
 by painful, troubled night,
 trust, in your anguish,
 the magic power of tears.
 Soon, when from hot weeping
 your eyes shine red,
 a new day will appear;
  for already, morning is blooming.

Authorship

  • Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © by Emily Ezust

    Emily Ezust permits her translations to be reproduced without prior permission for printed (not online) programs to free-admission concerts only, provided the following credit is given:

    Translation copyright © by Emily Ezust,
    from the LiederNet Archive -- https://www.lieder.net/

    For any other purpose, please write to the e-mail address below to request permission and discuss possible fees.


Based on

 

Text added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Last modified: 2014-06-16 10:01:38
Line count: 32
Word count: 161