Lied der Suleika
German source:
Marianne von Willemer
Lied, empfind’ ich deinen Sinn!
Liebevoll du scheinst zu sagen:
Dass ich ihm zur Seite bin.
Dass er ewig mein gedenket,
Seiner Liebe Seligkeit
Immerdar der Fernen schenket,
Die ein Leben ihm geweiht.
Ja, mein Herz, es ist der Spiegel,
Freund, worin du dich erblickt,
Diese Brust, wo deine Siegel
Kuss auf Kuss hereingedrückt.
Süsses Dichten, lautre Wahrheit,
Fesselt mich in Sympathie!
Rein verkörpert Liebesklarheit
Im Gewand der Poesie.
Suleika's Song
English translation ©
Richard Stokes
O song, do I sense your meaning!
Lovingly you seem to say:
That I am at his side;
That he ever thinks of me,
And ever bestows his love’s rapture
On her who, far away,
Dedicates her life to him.
For my heart, dear friend, is the mirror,
Wherein you have seen yourself;
And this the breast where your seal is imprinted
Kiss upon kiss.
Your sweet verses, their unsullied truth
Chain me in sympathy;
Love’s pure embodied radiance
In the garb of poetry!
Translations by Richard Stokes, author of The Book of Lieder (Faber, 2005)
Lied der Suleika
German source:
Marianne von Willemer
Suleika's Song
English source:
Richard Stokes
Wie mit innigstem Behagen,
With what heartfelt contentment,
Lied, empfind’ ich deinen Sinn!
O song, do I sense your meaning!
Liebevoll du scheinst zu sagen:
Lovingly you seem to say:
Dass ich ihm zur Seite bin.
That I am at his side;
Dass er ewig mein gedenket,
That he ever thinks of me,
Seiner Liebe Seligkeit
And ever bestows his love’s rapture
Immerdar der Fernen schenket,
On her who, far away,
Die ein Leben ihm geweiht.
Dedicates her life to him.
Ja, mein Herz, es ist der Spiegel,
For my heart, dear friend, is the mirror,
Freund, worin du dich erblickt,
Wherein you have seen yourself;
Diese Brust, wo deine Siegel
And this the breast where your seal is imprinted
Kuss auf Kuss hereingedrückt.
Kiss upon kiss.
Süsses Dichten, lautre Wahrheit,
Your sweet verses, their unsullied truth
Fesselt mich in Sympathie!
Chain me in sympathy;
Rein verkörpert Liebesklarheit
Love’s pure embodied radiance
Im Gewand der Poesie.
In the garb of poetry!
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
Marianne von Willemer
Marianne von Willemer was an Austrian actress and dancer best known for her relationship with Johann Wolfgang von Goethe and her appearance in his poetry. At the age of 14 she moved to Frankfurt am Main, where she became the third wife of Frankfurt…