Text & Translation
Der Hirt
German source:
Johann Mayrhofer
Ragst du so hoch empor,
Und mahnest grausam immer
An das, was ich verlor.
Sie hängt an einem Andern,
Und wohnt im Weiler dort.
Mein armes Herz verblutet,
Vom schärfsten Pfeil durchbohrt.
In ihren schönen Augen
War keiner Untreu Spur;
Ich sah der Liebe Himmel,
Der Anmut Spiegel nur.
Wohin ich mich nun wende –
Der Turm, er folget mir;
O sagt’ er, statt der Stunden,
Was mich vernichtet, ihr!
The Shepherd
English translation ©
Richard Wigmore
you soar so high,
and forever remind me cruelly
of what I have lost.
She is devoted to another,
and lives in the hamlet there.
My poor heart bleeds,
pierced by the sharpest arrow.
In her beautiful eyes
there was no trace of faithlessness,
I saw in them only heavenly love,
the mirror of grace.
Now wherever I turn
the bell-tower follows me.
Would that, instead of telling the hours,
it told her what is destroying me.
Der Hirt
German source:
Johann Mayrhofer
The Shepherd
English source:
Richard Wigmore
Du Turm! zu meinem Leide
Bell-tower, to my grief
Ragst du so hoch empor,
you soar so high,
Und mahnest grausam immer
and forever remind me cruelly
An das, was ich verlor.
of what I have lost.
Sie hängt an einem Andern,
She is devoted to another,
Und wohnt im Weiler dort.
and lives in the hamlet there.
Mein armes Herz verblutet,
My poor heart bleeds,
Vom schärfsten Pfeil durchbohrt.
pierced by the sharpest arrow.
In ihren schönen Augen
In her beautiful eyes
War keiner Untreu Spur;
there was no trace of faithlessness,
Ich sah der Liebe Himmel,
I saw in them only heavenly love,
Der Anmut Spiegel nur.
the mirror of grace.
Wohin ich mich nun wende –
Now wherever I turn
Der Turm, er folget mir;
the bell-tower follows me.
O sagt’ er, statt der Stunden,
Would that, instead of telling the hours,
Was mich vernichtet, ihr!
it told her what is destroying me.
Composer
Franz Schubert
Franz Peter Schubert was an late Classical and early Romantic composer. He produced a vast oeuvre during his short life, composing more the 600 vocal works (largely Lieder), and well as several symphonies, operas, and a large body of piano music. He…
Poet
Johann Mayrhofer
Johann Baptist Mayrhofer , was an Austrian poet and librettist. He is best known for his close friendship with the composer Franz Schubert. Mayrhofer was born in Steyr, educated and Novitiate in St. Florian's Priory Upper Austria. In 1810 he began…