Songs

Lehn deine Wang' an meine Wang' (Schumann Op. 142 No. 2)

by Heinrich Heine From Lyrisches Intermezzo (1823) 1822-1823

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Text & Translation

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Lehn deine Wang' an meine Wang' (Schumann Op. 142 No. 2)
German source: Heinrich Heine

Lehn deine Wang an meine Wang,
Dann fließen die Tränen zusammen;
Und an mein Herz drück fest dein Herz,
Dann schlagen zusammen die Flammen!

Und wenn in die große Flamme fließt
Der Strom von unsern Tränen,
Und wenn dich mein Arm gewaltig umschließt -
Sterb ich vor Liebessehnen!

Oh, press your cheek against my cheek
English translation © Hal Draper

Oh, press your cheek against my cheek
And mingle our tears and weeping!
And to my heart press close your heart,
Then together our flames will be leaping!

And when the torrent of our tears
Flows where the flame is burning,
And when my arms are holding you tight,
I’ll die of love’s wild yearning.

Translations by Hal Draper published by Oxford University Press and Suhrkamp/Insel Verlag (1984)

Lehn deine Wang' an meine Wang' (Schumann Op. 142 No. 2)
German source: Heinrich Heine

Oh, press your cheek against my cheek
English source: Hal Draper

Lehn deine Wang an meine Wang,
Oh, press your cheek against my cheek
Dann fließen die Tränen zusammen;
And mingle our tears and weeping!
Und an mein Herz drück fest dein Herz,
And to my heart press close your heart,
Dann schlagen zusammen die Flammen!
Then together our flames will be leaping!

Und wenn in die große Flamme fließt
And when the torrent of our tears
Der Strom von unsern Tränen,
Flows where the flame is burning,
Und wenn dich mein Arm gewaltig umschließt -
And when my arms are holding you tight,
Sterb ich vor Liebessehnen!
I’ll die of love’s wild yearning.

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…

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