Songs
Ja, du bist elend, und ich grolle nicht
by Heinrich Heine From Lyrisches Intermezzo (1823) 1822-1823
Ja, du bist elend, und ich grolle nicht
German source:
Heinrich Heine
Mein Lieb, wir sollen beide elend sein!
Bis uns der Tod das kranke Herze bricht,
Mein Lieb, wir sollen beide elend sein!
Wohl seh ich Spott, der deinen Mund umschwebt,
Und seh dein Auge blitzen trotziglich,
Und seh den Stolz, der deinen Busen hebt, -
Und elend bist du doch, elend wie ich.
Unsichtbar zuckt auch Schmerz um deinen Mund,
Verborgne Träne trübt des Auges Schein,
Der stolze Busen hegt geheime Wund -
Mein Lieb, wir sollen beide elend sein.
Yes, you are wretched, and I’ll not complain
English translation ©
Hal Draper
My love, my love, wretched we both shall be.
Until death breaks our hearts now sick with pain,
My love, my love, wretched we both shall be.
The scorn that twists your lips I well perceive,
I see your eyes that flash defiantly,
I see the pride that makes your bosom heave –
And yet you’re wretched, wretched indeed like me.
Your mouth is drawn, by unseen pain begirt,
Hid tears becloud your fair eyes’ brilliancy.
Your high proud bosom nurses its secret hurt –
My love, my love, wretched we both shall be.
Translations by Hal Draper published by Oxford University Press and Suhrkamp/Insel Verlag (1984)
Ja, du bist elend, und ich grolle nicht
German source:
Heinrich Heine
Yes, you are wretched, and I’ll not complain
English source:
Hal Draper
Ja, du bist elend, und ich grolle nicht; -
Yes, you are wretched, and I’ll not complain –
Mein Lieb, wir sollen beide elend sein!
My love, my love, wretched we both shall be.
Bis uns der Tod das kranke Herze bricht,
Until death breaks our hearts now sick with pain,
Mein Lieb, wir sollen beide elend sein!
My love, my love, wretched we both shall be.
Wohl seh ich Spott, der deinen Mund umschwebt,
The scorn that twists your lips I well perceive,
Und seh dein Auge blitzen trotziglich,
I see your eyes that flash defiantly,
Und seh den Stolz, der deinen Busen hebt, -
I see the pride that makes your bosom heave –
Und elend bist du doch, elend wie ich.
And yet you’re wretched, wretched indeed like me.
Unsichtbar zuckt auch Schmerz um deinen Mund,
Your mouth is drawn, by unseen pain begirt,
Verborgne Träne trübt des Auges Schein,
Hid tears becloud your fair eyes’ brilliancy.
Der stolze Busen hegt geheime Wund -
Your high proud bosom nurses its secret hurt –
Mein Lieb, wir sollen beide elend sein.
My love, my love, wretched we both shall be.
Composer
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…