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Das Paradies
German source: Khwāja Shams-ud-Dīn Muḥammad Hafez

Komm, daß ich dich fasse, reich mir deine Hand,
und dich nicht mehr lasse, reich mir deine Hand!
Sieh die Finsternis, die meine Zeit bedroht,
in der dunklen Gasse reiche mir die Hand!
Von des Schicksals Schlusse ward mir Arges kund –
in schwindelnden Höhen – reich mir die Hand!

Meiner Erden Reise ist bedroht vom Feind:
wehre seinem Hasse, reiche mir die Hand!

Komm, daß ich sie presse an mein Herz, das brennt,
an dies Aug, das nasse, lege deine Hand!
Auf zu deinem Schlosse klimm ich, holder Mond,
daß ich dir erblasse, komm, komm, reiche mir die Hand.


_Text by Hafis, trans. Friedrich Rückert_

Paradise
English translation © Richard Stokes

Come, let me clasp you, give me your hand,
and that I nevermore leave you, give me your hand.
Behold the darkness that threatens my days,
in the dark alleyway give me your hand!
I have heard wicked things about destiny’s end –
on vertiginous heights – give me your hand!

My journey on earth is threatened by the foe:
avert his hatred, give me your hand!

Come, let me press it to my heart on fire,
lay your hand on these eyes, these tearful eyes!
I clamber up to your castle, fair moon,
let me pale before you, come, come, give me your hand.

Das Paradies
German source: Khwāja Shams-ud-Dīn Muḥammad Hafez

Paradise
English source: Richard Stokes

Komm, daß ich dich fasse, reich mir deine Hand,
Come, let me clasp you, give me your hand,
und dich nicht mehr lasse, reich mir deine Hand!
and that I nevermore leave you, give me your hand.
Sieh die Finsternis, die meine Zeit bedroht,
Behold the darkness that threatens my days,
in der dunklen Gasse reiche mir die Hand!
in the dark alleyway give me your hand!
Von des Schicksals Schlusse ward mir Arges kund –
I have heard wicked things about destiny’s end –
in schwindelnden Höhen – reich mir die Hand!
on vertiginous heights – give me your hand!

Meiner Erden Reise ist bedroht vom Feind:
My journey on earth is threatened by the foe:
wehre seinem Hasse, reiche mir die Hand!
avert his hatred, give me your hand!

Komm, daß ich sie presse an mein Herz, das brennt,
Come, let me press it to my heart on fire,
an dies Aug, das nasse, lege deine Hand!
lay your hand on these eyes, these tearful eyes!
Auf zu deinem Schlosse klimm ich, holder Mond,
I clamber up to your castle, fair moon,
daß ich dir erblasse, komm, komm, reiche mir die Hand.
let me pale before you, come, come, give me your hand.


_Text by Hafis, trans. Friedrich Rückert_

Composer

Hans Werner Henze

Hans Werner Henze (1926 – 2012) was a German composer. His large oeuvre of works is extremely varied in style, having been influenced by serialism, atonality, Stravinsky, Italian music, Arabic music and jazz, as well as traditional schools of German…

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