Die Waise
German source:
August Heinrich Hoffmann von Fallersleben
Und alles freuet sich,
Ich blicke traurig nieder,
Er kam ja nicht für mich.
Was soll mir armen Kinde
Des Frühlings Pracht und Glanz?
Denn wenn ich Blumen winde,
Ist es zum Totenkranz.
Ach! keine Hand geleitet
Mich heim ins Vaterhaus,
Und keine Mutter breitet
Die Arme nach mir aus.
O Himmel, gib mir wieder,
Was deine Liebe gab—
Blick ich zur Erde nieder,
So seh ich nur ihr Grab.
The Orphan Girl
English translation ©
Richard Stokes
And everything rejoices.
I look downcast,
It has not come for me.
What am I, poor child, to make
Of spring’s splendour and radiance?
For if I twine flowers,
It will be for a funeral wreath.
Ah! there is no hand to guide me
Back to a father’s house,
And no mother to hold out
Her arms towards me.
O Heaven, give me back
What your love once gave—
If I look down at the earth,
Their grave is all I see.
Translations by Richard Stokes, author of The Book of Lieder (Faber, 2005)
Die Waise
German source:
August Heinrich Hoffmann von Fallersleben
The Orphan Girl
English source:
Richard Stokes
Der Frühling kehret wieder,
Spring comes again
Und alles freuet sich,
And everything rejoices.
Ich blicke traurig nieder,
I look downcast,
Er kam ja nicht für mich.
It has not come for me.
Was soll mir armen Kinde
What am I, poor child, to make
Des Frühlings Pracht und Glanz?
Of spring’s splendour and radiance?
Denn wenn ich Blumen winde,
For if I twine flowers,
Ist es zum Totenkranz.
It will be for a funeral wreath.
Ach! keine Hand geleitet
Ah! there is no hand to guide me
Mich heim ins Vaterhaus,
Back to a father’s house,
Und keine Mutter breitet
And no mother to hold out
Die Arme nach mir aus.
Her arms towards me.
O Himmel, gib mir wieder,
O Heaven, give me back
Was deine Liebe gab—
What your love once gave—
Blick ich zur Erde nieder,
If I look down at the earth,
So seh ich nur ihr Grab.
Their grave is all I see.
Composer
Robert Schumann
Robert Schumann was a German composer and influential music critic. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest composers of the Romantic era. Schumann left the study of law, intending to pursue a career as a virtuoso pianist. He had been assured…
Poet
August Heinrich Hoffmann von Fallersleben
August Heinrich Hoffmann von Fallersleben was a German poet. He is best known for writing "Das Lied der Deutschen", its third stanza now being the national anthem of Germany, and a number of popular children's songs, considered part of the Young…