Abschied
German source:
Heinrich Heine
Es fallen die Blätter herab;
Ach, alles, was hold und lieblich,
Verwelkt und sinkt ins Grab.
Die Wipfel des Waldes umflimmert
Ein schmerzlicher Sonnenschein;
Das mögen die letzten Küsse
Des scheidenden Sommers sein.
Mir ist, als müsst ich weinen
Aus tiefstem Herzensgrund;
Dies Bild erinnert mich wieder
An unsre Abschiedsstund'.
Ich musste dich verlassen,
Und wusste, du stürbest bald;
Ich war der scheidende Sommer,
Du warst der sterbende Wald.
Farewell
English translation ©
Richard Stokes
The leaves are fluttering down,
Ah, all that’s fair and lovely
Must wither into the grave.
A painful sunbeam glimmers
Round the treetops in the forest;
That could be the final kiss
Of departing summer.
I feel as if I ought to weep
From the depths of my heart;
This scene again reminds me
Of when we said goodbye.
I had to take my leave of you,
And knew that you’d soon die;
I was the parting summer,
You were the dying forest.
Translations by Richard Stokes, author of The Book of Lieder (Faber, 2005)
Abschied
German source:
Heinrich Heine
Farewell
English source:
Richard Stokes
Das gelbe Laub erzittert,
The yellow leaves are trembling,
Es fallen die Blätter herab;
The leaves are fluttering down,
Ach, alles, was hold und lieblich,
Ah, all that’s fair and lovely
Verwelkt und sinkt ins Grab.
Must wither into the grave.
Die Wipfel des Waldes umflimmert
A painful sunbeam glimmers
Ein schmerzlicher Sonnenschein;
Round the treetops in the forest;
Das mögen die letzten Küsse
That could be the final kiss
Des scheidenden Sommers sein.
Of departing summer.
Mir ist, als müsst ich weinen
I feel as if I ought to weep
Aus tiefstem Herzensgrund;
From the depths of my heart;
Dies Bild erinnert mich wieder
This scene again reminds me
An unsre Abschiedsstund'.
Of when we said goodbye.
Ich musste dich verlassen,
I had to take my leave of you,
Und wusste, du stürbest bald;
And knew that you’d soon die;
Ich war der scheidende Sommer,
I was the parting summer,
Du warst der sterbende Wald.
You were the dying forest.
Composer
Poet
Heinrich Heine
Heine was born of Jewish parents. Much of his early life was influenced by the financial power of his uncle Salomon Heine, a millionaire Hamburg banker, with whom he remained on an awkward footing for many years. After he had been educated in the…