Bitteres zu sagen denkst du
German source:
Georg Friedrich Daumer
Aber nun und nimmer kränkst du,
Ob du noch so böse bist.
Deine herben Redetaten
Scheitern an korallner Klippe,
Werden all zu reinen Gnaden,
Denn sie müssen, um zu schaden,
Schiffen über eine Lippe,
Die die Süße selber ist.
You mean to say bitter things
English translation ©
Richard Stokes
But neither now nor ever do you hurt me,
However angry you may be.
Your bitter recriminations
Founder on a coral reef,
Become pure graciousness,
For, in order to inflict damage,
They must sail over lips
That are sweetness itself.
Translations by Richard Stokes, author of The Book of Lieder (Faber, 2005)
Bitteres zu sagen denkst du
German source:
Georg Friedrich Daumer
You mean to say bitter things
English source:
Richard Stokes
Bitteres zu sagen denkst du;
You mean to say bitter things;
Aber nun und nimmer kränkst du,
But neither now nor ever do you hurt me,
Ob du noch so böse bist.
However angry you may be.
Deine herben Redetaten
Your bitter recriminations
Scheitern an korallner Klippe,
Founder on a coral reef,
Werden all zu reinen Gnaden,
Become pure graciousness,
Denn sie müssen, um zu schaden,
For, in order to inflict damage,
Schiffen über eine Lippe,
They must sail over lips
Die die Süße selber ist.
That are sweetness itself.
Composer
Johannes Brahms
Johannes Brahms (7 May 1833 – 3 April 1897) was a German composer, pianist, and conductor of the Romantic period. Born in Hamburg into a Lutheran family, Brahms spent much of his professional life in Vienna. Brahms has been considered, by his…
Poet
Georg Friedrich Daumer
Georg Friedrich Daumer was a German poet and philosopher.