Familien-Gemälde
German source:
Anastasius Grün
Die sassen im Gartenhag,
Es lächelte still ihr Antlitz
Wie’n sonn’ger Wintertag.
Die Arme verschlungen, ruhten
Ich und die Geliebte dabei,
Uns blühten und klangen die Herzen
Wie Blumenhaine im Mai.
Ein Bächlein rauschte vorüber
Mit plätscherndem Wanderlied;
Stumm zog das Gewölk am Himmel
Bis unsern Blicken es schied.
Es rasselte von den Bäumen
Das Laub, verwelkt und zerstreut,
Und schweigend an uns vorüber
Zog leisen Schrittes die Zeit.
Stumm blickte aufs junge Pärchen
Das alte stille Paar;
Des Lebens Doppelspiegel
Stand vor uns licht und wahr:
Sie sahn uns an und dachten
Der schönen Vergangenheit;
Wir sahn sie an und träumten
Von ferner, künftiger Zeit.
Family portrait
English translation ©
Richard Stokes
They sat out in the garden,
Quietly smiling,
Like a sunny winter’s day.
By their side my love and I
Embraced each other tightly,
Our hearts burgeoned and rang
Like flowery groves in May.
A brooklet flowed murmuring by,
Babbling as it went;
The clouds gathered silently above
Until they scudded out of sight.
The leaves rustled loudly, as they scattered
Falling and withered from the trees,
And Time passed by us
With silent tread.
The old couple watched the young pair
Without a single word.
There before us, clear and true,
Stood life’s double reflection.
They looked at us and thought
Of their happy past.
We looked at them and thought
Of distant days to come.
Translations by Richard Stokes, author of The Book of Lieder (Faber, 2005)
Familien-Gemälde
German source:
Anastasius Grün
Family portrait
English source:
Richard Stokes
Grossvater und Grossmutter,
Grandpapa and grandmama,
Die sassen im Gartenhag,
They sat out in the garden,
Es lächelte still ihr Antlitz
Quietly smiling,
Wie’n sonn’ger Wintertag.
Like a sunny winter’s day.
Die Arme verschlungen, ruhten
By their side my love and I
Ich und die Geliebte dabei,
Embraced each other tightly,
Uns blühten und klangen die Herzen
Our hearts burgeoned and rang
Wie Blumenhaine im Mai.
Like flowery groves in May.
Ein Bächlein rauschte vorüber
A brooklet flowed murmuring by,
Mit plätscherndem Wanderlied;
Babbling as it went;
Stumm zog das Gewölk am Himmel
The clouds gathered silently above
Bis unsern Blicken es schied.
Until they scudded out of sight.
Es rasselte von den Bäumen
The leaves rustled loudly, as they scattered
Das Laub, verwelkt und zerstreut,
Falling and withered from the trees,
Und schweigend an uns vorüber
And Time passed by us
Zog leisen Schrittes die Zeit.
With silent tread.
Stumm blickte aufs junge Pärchen
The old couple watched the young pair
Das alte stille Paar;
Without a single word.
Des Lebens Doppelspiegel
There before us, clear and true,
Stand vor uns licht und wahr:
Stood life’s double reflection.
Sie sahn uns an und dachten
They looked at us and thought
Der schönen Vergangenheit;
Of their happy past.
Wir sahn sie an und träumten
We looked at them and thought
Von ferner, künftiger Zeit.
Of distant days to come.
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
Anastasius Grün
He was born in Laibach (Ljubljana), and was head of the Thurn am Hart/Krain branch of the Carniolan cadet line of the house of Auersperg. He received his education first at the University of Graz and then at Vienna, where he studied jurisprudence.…