Erste Begegnung
German source:
Emanuel Geibel
Von den Rosen komm ich;
An den Ufern jenes Wassers
Sah ich Rosen stehn und Knospen;
Von den Rosen komm ich.
An den Ufern jenes Flusses
Sah ich Rosen stehn in Blüte;
Von den Rosen komm ich,
Sah ich Rosen stehn in Blüte,
Brach mit Seufzen mir die Rosen
Von dem Rosenbusch, o Mutter;
Von den Rosen komm ich.
Und am Rosenbusch, o Mutter,
Einen Jüngling sah ich;
An den Ufern jenes Wassers
Einen schlanken Jüngling sah ich,
Einen Jüngling sah ich.
An den Ufern jenes Flusses
Sucht’ nach Rosen auch der Jüngling,
Viele Rosen pflückt’ er, viele Rosen,
Und mit Lächeln brach die schönste er,
Gab mit Seufzen mir die Rose.
Von dem Rosenbusch, o Mutter,
Von den Rosen komm ich.
First encounter
English translation ©
Richard Stokes
I come from the roses;
On the banks of those waters
I saw roses and buds;
I come from the roses.
On the banks of that river
I saw roses in blossom;
I come from the roses,
I saw roses in blossom,
Sighing I picked the roses
From the rose-bush, O mother;
I come from the roses.
And by the rose-bush, O mother,
I saw a young man;
On the banks of those waters
I saw a slim young man,
I saw a young man.
On the banks of that river
The young man also looked for roses,
Many roses he picked, many roses,
And smiling he picked the loveliest,
And sighing gave me the rose.
I come from the rose-bush, O mother,
I come from the roses.
Translations by Richard Stokes, author of The Book of Lieder (Faber, 2005)
Erste Begegnung
German source:
Emanuel Geibel
First encounter
English source:
Richard Stokes
Von dem Rosenbusch, o Mutter,
I come from the rose-bush, O mother,
Von den Rosen komm ich;
I come from the roses;
An den Ufern jenes Wassers
On the banks of those waters
Sah ich Rosen stehn und Knospen;
I saw roses and buds;
Von den Rosen komm ich.
I come from the roses.
An den Ufern jenes Flusses
On the banks of that river
Sah ich Rosen stehn in Blüte;
I saw roses in blossom;
Von den Rosen komm ich,
I come from the roses,
Sah ich Rosen stehn in Blüte,
I saw roses in blossom,
Brach mit Seufzen mir die Rosen
Sighing I picked the roses
Von dem Rosenbusch, o Mutter;
From the rose-bush, O mother;
Von den Rosen komm ich.
I come from the roses.
Und am Rosenbusch, o Mutter,
And by the rose-bush, O mother,
Einen Jüngling sah ich;
I saw a young man;
An den Ufern jenes Wassers
On the banks of those waters
Einen schlanken Jüngling sah ich,
I saw a slim young man,
Einen Jüngling sah ich.
I saw a young man.
An den Ufern jenes Flusses
On the banks of that river
Sucht’ nach Rosen auch der Jüngling,
The young man also looked for roses,
Viele Rosen pflückt’ er, viele Rosen,
Many roses he picked, many roses,
Und mit Lächeln brach die schönste er,
And smiling he picked the loveliest,
Gab mit Seufzen mir die Rose.
And sighing gave me the rose.
Von dem Rosenbusch, o Mutter,
I come from the rose-bush, O mother,
Von den Rosen komm ich.
I come from the roses.
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
Emanuel Geibel
Emanuel von Geibel , German poet and playwright. He was born at Lübeck, the son of a pastor. He was originally intended for his father's profession and studied at Bonn and Berlin, but his real interests lay not in theology but in classical and…