Geständnis
German source:
Emanuel Geibel
Dass mein Herz es nicht mag wagen,
Irgend einen Wunsch zu tragen.
Also lieb’ ich Euch!
Denn wenn ich zu wünschen wagte,
Hoffen würd’ ich auch zugleich;
Wenn ich nicht zu hoffen zagte,
Weiss ich wohl, erzürnt’ ich Euch.
Darum ruf’ ich ganz alleine
Nur dem Tod, dass er erscheine,
Weil mein Herz es nicht mag wagen,
Einen andern Wunsch zu tragen.
Also lieb’ ich Euch!
Confession
English translation ©
Richard Stokes
My heart does not dare
To express a single wish—
That is how I love you!
For if I dared to wish,
I would immediately hope;
Were I brash in my hope,
I know I would anger you.
And so I summon death alone
To appear,
For my heart does not dare
To express another wish;
That is how I love you!
Translations by Richard Stokes, author of The Book of Lieder (Faber, 2005)
Geständnis
German source:
Emanuel Geibel
Confession
English source:
Richard Stokes
Also lieb’ ich Euch, Geliebte,
This is how I love you, beloved:
Dass mein Herz es nicht mag wagen,
My heart does not dare
Irgend einen Wunsch zu tragen.
To express a single wish—
Also lieb’ ich Euch!
That is how I love you!
Denn wenn ich zu wünschen wagte,
For if I dared to wish,
Hoffen würd’ ich auch zugleich;
I would immediately hope;
Wenn ich nicht zu hoffen zagte,
Were I brash in my hope,
Weiss ich wohl, erzürnt’ ich Euch.
I know I would anger you.
Darum ruf’ ich ganz alleine
And so I summon death alone
Nur dem Tod, dass er erscheine,
To appear,
Weil mein Herz es nicht mag wagen,
For my heart does not dare
Einen andern Wunsch zu tragen.
To express another wish;
Also lieb’ ich Euch!
That is how I love you!
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…