Songs

Dies zu deuten bin erbötig

by Hugo Wolf From Goethe-Lieder (1891)

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Text & Translation

Dies zu deuten bin erbötig
German source: Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

HATEM
Dies zu deuten bin erbötig!
Hab ich dir nicht oft erzählt,
Wie der Doge von Venedig
Mit dem Meere sich vermählt?

So von deinen Fingergliedern
Fiel der Ring dem Euphrat zu.
Ach, zu tausend Himmelsliedern,
Süßer Traum, begeisterst du!

Mich, der von des Indostanen
Streifte bis Damaskus hin,
Um mit neuen Karawanen
Bis ans rote Meer zu ziehn,

Mich vermählst du deinem Fluße,
Der Terrasse diesem Hain:
Hier soll bis zum letzten Kuße
Dir mein Geist gewidmet sein.

I am disposed to interpret this dream!
English translation © Richard Stokes

HATEM
I am disposed to interpret this dream!
Have I not often told you
How the Doge of Venice
Was wedded to the sea?

Thus from your fingers
The ring fell into the Euphrates.
Ah, sweet dream, you inspire me
To a thousand heavenly songs!

You wed me, who wandered
From Hindustan to Damascus
To reach the Red Sea
With new caravans,

To your river,
To the terraces, to this grove,
Here, until our final kiss,
Shall my soul be dedicated to you.

Dies zu deuten bin erbötig
German source: Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

I am disposed to interpret this dream!
English source: Richard Stokes

HATEM
HATEM
Dies zu deuten bin erbötig!
I am disposed to interpret this dream!
Hab ich dir nicht oft erzählt,
Have I not often told you
Wie der Doge von Venedig
How the Doge of Venice
Mit dem Meere sich vermählt?
Was wedded to the sea?

So von deinen Fingergliedern
Thus from your fingers
Fiel der Ring dem Euphrat zu.
The ring fell into the Euphrates.
Ach, zu tausend Himmelsliedern,
Ah, sweet dream, you inspire me
Süßer Traum, begeisterst du!
To a thousand heavenly songs!

Mich, der von des Indostanen
You wed me, who wandered
Streifte bis Damaskus hin,
From Hindustan to Damascus
Um mit neuen Karawanen
To reach the Red Sea
Bis ans rote Meer zu ziehn,
With new caravans,

Mich vermählst du deinem Fluße,
To your river,
Der Terrasse diesem Hain:
To the terraces, to this grove,
Hier soll bis zum letzten Kuße
Here, until our final kiss,
Dir mein Geist gewidmet sein.
Shall my soul be dedicated to you.

Composer

Hugo Wolf

Hugo Filipp Jakob Wolf was born on 13 March 1860, the fourth of six surviving children, in Windischgraz, Styria, then part of the Austrian Empire. He was taught the piano and violin by his father at an early age and continued to study piano at the…

Poet

Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

Johann Wolfgang Goethe was a German writer and statesman. His body of work includes epic and lyric poetry written in a variety of metres and styles; prose and verse dramas; memoirs; an autobiography; literary and aesthetic criticism; treatises on…

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