Songs

Gefunden

by Richard Strauss

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Text & Translation

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Gefunden
German source: Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

Ich ging im Walde
So für mich hin,
Und nichts zu suchen,
Das war mein Sinn.

Im Schatten sah ich
Ein Blümchen stehn,
Wie Sterne leuchtend,
Wie Äuglein schön.

Ich wollt es brechen,
Da sagt’ es fein:
Soll ich zum Welken
Gebrochen sein?

Ich grub's mit allen
Den Würzlein aus,
Zum Garten trug ich's
Am hübschen Haus.

Und pflanzt es wieder
Am stillen Ort;
Nun zweigt es immer
Und blüht so fort.

Found
English translation © Richard Stokes

I was walking
In the wood alone,
And intended
To look for nothing.

In the shade I saw
A little flower growing
Gleaming like stars,
Lovely as eyes.

I was going to pick it,
When gently it said:
Must I be picked
To wilt and die?

I dug it out
With all its roots.
Took it to the garden
Of my pretty home.

And planted it again
In a quiet corner;
Where still it grows
And continues to bloom.

Translations by Richard Wigmore first published by Gollancz and reprinted in the Hyperion Schubert Song Edition

Gefunden
German source: Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

Found
English source: Richard Stokes

Ich ging im Walde
I was walking
So für mich hin,
In the wood alone,
Und nichts zu suchen,
And intended
Das war mein Sinn.
To look for nothing.

Im Schatten sah ich
In the shade I saw
Ein Blümchen stehn,
A little flower growing
Wie Sterne leuchtend,
Gleaming like stars,
Wie Äuglein schön.
Lovely as eyes.

Ich wollt es brechen,
I was going to pick it,
Da sagt’ es fein:
When gently it said:
Soll ich zum Welken
Must I be picked
Gebrochen sein?
To wilt and die?

Ich grub's mit allen
I dug it out
Den Würzlein aus,
With all its roots.
Zum Garten trug ich's
Took it to the garden
Am hübschen Haus.
Of my pretty home.

Und pflanzt es wieder
And planted it again
Am stillen Ort;
In a quiet corner;
Nun zweigt es immer
Where still it grows
Und blüht so fort.
And continues to bloom.

Composer

Richard Strauss

Richard Georg Strauss was a German composer of the late Romantic and early modern eras. He is particularly well-known for his operas, Lieder, and tone poems.  Read more here.

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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