Frühlingslust
German source:
Paul Heyse
Da wirft die Liebe ein Netzlein aus,
Du schwanker, loser Falter,
Du hilfst dir nimmer heraus.
Und wenn ich wäre gefangen
In dieser jungen Rosenzeit,
Und wär’s die Haft der Liebe,
Ich musste vergehen vor Leid.
Ich mag nicht sehen und sorgen;
Durch blühende Wälder schweift mein Lauf.
Die lustigen Lieder fliegen
Bis in die Wipfel hinauf.
The joy of spring
English translation ©
Richard Stokes
Love now spreads its little net,
Frail fluttering butterfly,
You will never escape.
And if I were caught
In this young time of roses,
Though love itself were the prison,
I would die of sorrow.
I was not made for looking on in sorrow;
My way lies through blossoming woods.
My airy songs fly up
To the treetops.
Translations by Richard Stokes, author of The Book of Lieder (Faber, 2005)
Frühlingslust
German source:
Paul Heyse
The joy of spring
English source:
Richard Stokes
Nun stehen die Rosen in Blüte,
The roses now are blooming,
Da wirft die Liebe ein Netzlein aus,
Love now spreads its little net,
Du schwanker, loser Falter,
Frail fluttering butterfly,
Du hilfst dir nimmer heraus.
You will never escape.
Und wenn ich wäre gefangen
And if I were caught
In dieser jungen Rosenzeit,
In this young time of roses,
Und wär’s die Haft der Liebe,
Though love itself were the prison,
Ich musste vergehen vor Leid.
I would die of sorrow.
Ich mag nicht sehen und sorgen;
I was not made for looking on in sorrow;
Durch blühende Wälder schweift mein Lauf.
My way lies through blossoming woods.
Die lustigen Lieder fliegen
My airy songs fly up
Bis in die Wipfel hinauf.
To the treetops.
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
Paul Heyse
Paul Johann Ludwig von Heyse was a distinguished German writer and translator. A member of two important literary societies, the Tunnel über der Spree in Berlin and Die Krokodile in Munich, he wrote novels, poetry, 177 short stories, and about sixty…