Ich liebe dich
German source:
Friedrich Rückert
Ich liebe dich, weil ich nicht anders kann;
Ich liebe dich nach einem Himmelsschluß;
Ich liebe dich durch einen Zauberbann.
Dich liebe ich, wie die Rose ihren Strauch;
Dich liebe ich, wie die Sonne ihren Schein;
Dich liebe ich, weil du bist mein Lebenshauch;
Dich liebe ich, weil dich lieben ist mein Sein.
I love you
English translation ©
Richard Stokes
I love you, because I can do no other;
I love you, as heaven has ordained;
I love you through a magic spell.
You I love, as the rose its bush;
You I love, as the sun its rays;
You I love, because you are the breath of my life;
You I love, because to love you is my whole existence.
Translations by Richard Stokes, author of The Book of Lieder (Faber, 2005)
Ich liebe dich
German source:
Friedrich Rückert
I love you
English source:
Richard Stokes
Ich liebe dich, weil ich dich lieben muß;
I love you, because I must love you;
Ich liebe dich, weil ich nicht anders kann;
I love you, because I can do no other;
Ich liebe dich nach einem Himmelsschluß;
I love you, as heaven has ordained;
Ich liebe dich durch einen Zauberbann.
I love you through a magic spell.
Dich liebe ich, wie die Rose ihren Strauch;
You I love, as the rose its bush;
Dich liebe ich, wie die Sonne ihren Schein;
You I love, as the sun its rays;
Dich liebe ich, weil du bist mein Lebenshauch;
You I love, because you are the breath of my life;
Dich liebe ich, weil dich lieben ist mein Sein.
You I love, because to love you is my whole existence.
Composer
Franz Liszt
Franz Liszt (22 October 1811 – 31 July 1886) was a Hungarian composer, virtuoso pianist, conductor, music teacher, arranger and organist of the Romantic era. He was also a writer, a philanthropist, a Hungarian nationalist and a Franciscan…
Poet
Friedrich Rückert
Friedrich Rückert was a German poet, translator, and professor of Oriental languages. Rückert was born at Schweinfurt and was the eldest son of a lawyer. He was educated at the local Gymnasium and at the universities of Würzburg and Heidelberg.…