Songs

Ach, Was Kummer, Qual und Schmerzen

by Richard Strauss

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Text & Translation

Ach, Was Kummer, Qual und Schmerzen
German source: Anon.

Ach, was Kummer, Qual und Schmerzen,
Hm, hm.
Es liegt mir was auf meinem Herzen,
Hm, hm.
Und ich trau es nicht zu sagen,
Mich bei Jemand zu beklagen,
Da ich dochhm, hm,hm, hm.

Stille mufl ichís in mich schlieflen,
Hm, hm.
Darf kein Wˆrtchen lassen flieflen,
Hm, hm.
Muß mich stellen vor den Leuten,
Als wär ich in allen Freuden,
Da ich doch hm, hm, hm.

Meine Freude wär zu leben,
Hm, hm. Hm, hm.
Mich der Freundschaftzu ergeben,
Hm, hm.
Mein Herz w¸scht sich zu verschenken,
Um ein andres Herz zu lenken,
Das empfindsam hm, hm, hm.

Ah, the grief, the torment, the pain
English translation © Richard Stokes

Ah, the grief, the torment, the pain,
Hm, hm.
I have something on my mind,
Hm, hm.
And I don't dare reveal it,
Or complain to anyone,
Since I'm - hm, hm, hm.

I must keep it to myself,
Hm, hm.
Must not let slip a single word,
Hm, hm.
Must pretend to people
That I'm full of joy,
Since I'm, - hm, hm.

I would love to live,
Hm, hm.
To give myself in friendship,
Hm, hm.
I'd love to give away my heart,
In order to guide another heart,
A sensitive - hm, hm, hm.

Translation © Richard Stokes, author of The Book of Lieder (Faber, 2005)

Ach, Was Kummer, Qual und Schmerzen
German source: Anon.

Ah, the grief, the torment, the pain
English source: Richard Stokes

Ach, was Kummer, Qual und Schmerzen,
Ah, the grief, the torment, the pain,
Hm, hm.
Hm, hm.
Es liegt mir was auf meinem Herzen,
I have something on my mind,
Hm, hm.
Hm, hm.
Und ich trau es nicht zu sagen,
And I don't dare reveal it,
Mich bei Jemand zu beklagen,
Or complain to anyone,
Da ich dochhm, hm,hm, hm.
Since I'm - hm, hm, hm.

Stille mufl ichís in mich schlieflen,
I must keep it to myself,
Hm, hm.
Hm, hm.
Darf kein Wˆrtchen lassen flieflen,
Must not let slip a single word,
Hm, hm.
Hm, hm.
Muß mich stellen vor den Leuten,
Must pretend to people
Als wär ich in allen Freuden,
That I'm full of joy,
Da ich doch hm, hm, hm.
Since I'm, - hm, hm.

Meine Freude wär zu leben,
I would love to live,
Hm, hm. Hm, hm.
Hm, hm.
Mich der Freundschaftzu ergeben,
To give myself in friendship,
Hm, hm.
Hm, hm.
Mein Herz w¸scht sich zu verschenken,
I'd love to give away my heart,
Um ein andres Herz zu lenken,
In order to guide another heart,
Das empfindsam hm, hm, hm.
A sensitive - hm, hm, hm.

Composer

Richard Strauss

Richard Georg Strauss was a German composer of the late Romantic and early modern eras. He is particularly well-known for his operas, Lieder, and tone poems.  Read more here.

Poet

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