Das alte Lied
German source:
Heinrich Heine
Sein Herz war schwer, sein Haupt war grau;
Der arme alte König,
Er nahm eine junge Frau.
Es war ein junger Page,
Blond war sein Haupt, leicht war sein Sinn;
Er trug die seidne Schleppe
Der jungen Königin.
Kennst du das alte Liedchen?
Es klingt so süß, es klingt so trüb!
Sie mußten beide sterben,
Sie hatten sich viel zu lieb.
The old song
English translation ©
Richard Stokes
His heart was sore, his head was grey;
The poor and aged monarch,
He took a youthful wife.
There was a handsome page-boy,
His head was blond, his heart was light;
He carried the silken train
Behind the youthful queen.
Do you know the age-old story?
It sounds so sweet, it sounds so sad!
Both of them had to die,
They loved each other too much.
Translations by Richard Stokes, author of The Book of Lieder (Faber, 2005)
Das alte Lied
German source:
Heinrich Heine
The old song
English source:
Richard Stokes
Es war ein alter König,
There was an aged monarch,
Sein Herz war schwer, sein Haupt war grau;
His heart was sore, his head was grey;
Der arme alte König,
The poor and aged monarch,
Er nahm eine junge Frau.
He took a youthful wife.
Es war ein junger Page,
There was a handsome page-boy,
Blond war sein Haupt, leicht war sein Sinn;
His head was blond, his heart was light;
Er trug die seidne Schleppe
He carried the silken train
Der jungen Königin.
Behind the youthful queen.
Kennst du das alte Liedchen?
Do you know the age-old story?
Es klingt so süß, es klingt so trüb!
It sounds so sweet, it sounds so sad!
Sie mußten beide sterben,
Both of them had to die,
Sie hatten sich viel zu lieb.
They loved each other too much.
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…