Text & Translation
Amor
German source:
Clemens Brentano
Amor, Amor
Und war blind;
Mit dem kleinen Flügel fächelt
In die Flammen er und lächelt,
Fächelt, lächelt, schlaues Kind!
Ach, der Flügel brennt dem Kind!
Amor, Amor
Läuft geschwind!
„O wie ihn die Glut durchpeinet!“
Flügelschlagend laut er weinet;
In der Hirtin Schoß entrinnt
Hilfeschreiend das schlaue Kind.
Und die Hirtin hilft dem Kind,
Amor, Amor
Bös und blind.
Hirtin, sieh, dein Herz entbrennet,
Hast den Schelmen nicht gekennet.
Sieh, die Flamme wächst geschwinde.
Hüt dich vor dem schlauen Kind!
Fächle, lächle, schlaues Kind!
The child sat by the fire.
English translation ©
Richard Stokes
Cupid, Cupid,
And was blind;
With his little wings he fans
The flames and he smiles,
Fans and smiles, the crafty child!
Alas, the child has burnt his wing,
Cupid, Cupid,
Runs quickly!
‘Ah, how the flames hurt him!’
Beating his wings, he cries aloud,
Seeks refuge in the shepherdess’s lap,
Crying for help, the crafty child.
And the shepherdess helps the child
Cupid, Cupid,
Naughty and blind.
Look, shepherdess, your heart’s on fire,
Didn’t you recognize the child?
Look how quickly the flames spread.
Beware the crafty child!
Fans and smiles, the crafty child!
Amor
German source:
Clemens Brentano
The child sat by the fire.
English source:
Richard Stokes
An dem Feuer saß das Kind
The child sat by the fire.
Amor, Amor
Cupid, Cupid,
Und war blind;
And was blind;
Mit dem kleinen Flügel fächelt
With his little wings he fans
In die Flammen er und lächelt,
The flames and he smiles,
Fächelt, lächelt, schlaues Kind!
Fans and smiles, the crafty child!
Ach, der Flügel brennt dem Kind!
Alas, the child has burnt his wing,
Amor, Amor
Cupid, Cupid,
Läuft geschwind!
Runs quickly!
„O wie ihn die Glut durchpeinet!“
‘Ah, how the flames hurt him!’
Flügelschlagend laut er weinet;
Beating his wings, he cries aloud,
In der Hirtin Schoß entrinnt
Seeks refuge in the shepherdess’s lap,
Hilfeschreiend das schlaue Kind.
Crying for help, the crafty child.
Und die Hirtin hilft dem Kind,
And the shepherdess helps the child
Amor, Amor
Cupid, Cupid,
Bös und blind.
Naughty and blind.
Hirtin, sieh, dein Herz entbrennet,
Look, shepherdess, your heart’s on fire,
Hast den Schelmen nicht gekennet.
Didn’t you recognize the child?
Sieh, die Flamme wächst geschwinde.
Look how quickly the flames spread.
Hüt dich vor dem schlauen Kind!
Beware the crafty child!
Fächle, lächle, schlaues Kind!
Fans and smiles, the crafty child!
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
Clemens Brentano
Clemens Wenzeslaus Brentano (also Klemens; pseudonym: Clemens Maria Brentano; 9 September 1778 – 28 July 1842) was a German poet and novelist, and a major figure of German Romanticism. Read more here. Read some of his selected poems in German here.