Ich grolle nicht
German source:
Heinrich Heine
Ewig verlor’nes Lieb! ich grolle nicht.
Wie du auch strahlst in Diamantenpracht,
Es fällt kein Strahl in deines Herzens Nacht.
Das weiss ich längst. Ich sah dich ja im Traume,
Und sah die Nacht in deines Herzens Raume,
Und sah die Schlang’, die dir am Herzen frisst,
Ich sah, mein Lieb, wie sehr du elend bist.
Ich grolle nicht.
I bear no grudge
English translation ©
Richard Stokes
O love forever lost! I bear no grudge.
However you gleam in diamond splendour,
No ray falls in the night of your heart.
I’ve known that long. For I saw you in my dreams,
And saw the night within your heart,
And saw the serpent gnawing at your heart;
I saw, my love, how pitiful you are.
I bear no grudge.
Translations by Richard Stokes, author of The Book of Lieder (Faber, 2005)
Ich grolle nicht
German source:
Heinrich Heine
I bear no grudge
English source:
Richard Stokes
Ich grolle nicht, und wenn das Herz auch bricht,
I bear no grudge, though my heart is breaking,
Ewig verlor’nes Lieb! ich grolle nicht.
O love forever lost! I bear no grudge.
Wie du auch strahlst in Diamantenpracht,
However you gleam in diamond splendour,
Es fällt kein Strahl in deines Herzens Nacht.
No ray falls in the night of your heart.
Das weiss ich längst. Ich sah dich ja im Traume,
I’ve known that long. For I saw you in my dreams,
Und sah die Nacht in deines Herzens Raume,
And saw the night within your heart,
Und sah die Schlang’, die dir am Herzen frisst,
And saw the serpent gnawing at your heart;
Ich sah, mein Lieb, wie sehr du elend bist.
I saw, my love, how pitiful you are.
Ich grolle nicht.
I bear no grudge.
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
Heinrich Heine
Heine was born of Jewish parents. Much of his early life was influenced by the financial power of his uncle Salomon Heine, a millionaire Hamburg banker, with whom he remained on an awkward footing for many years. After he had been educated in the…