Madonna
German source:
Otto Erich Hartleben
Auf den Altar meiner Verse!
Blut aus deinen magren Brusten
Hat des Schwertes Wut vergossen.
Deine ewig frischen Wunden
Gleichen Augen, rot und offen.
Steig, o Mutter aller Schmerzen,
Auf den Altar meiner Verse!
In den abgezehrten Händen
Hältst du deines Sohnes Leiche.
Ihn zu zeigen aller Menschheit -
Doch der Blick der Menschen meidet
Dich, o Mutter aller Schmerzen!
Madonna
(1996)
English translation ©
Roger Marsh
On the altar of my verses.
Blood spurts from your meagre bosom
Which the sword’s blind rage has opened.
And your gashes, fresh for ever,
Are like bloodshot eyes, wide open.
Climb, O Mother of all Sorrows
On the altar of my verses.
In your wasting withered hands
You hold up your son’s rotting body,
Which you offer to the people;
But the people’s eyes avoid your gaze,
O Mother of all Sorrows.
Madonna
German source:
Otto Erich Hartleben
Madonna (1996)
English source:
Roger Marsh
Steig, o Mutter aller Schmerzen,
Climb, O Mother of all Sorrows
Auf den Altar meiner Verse!
On the altar of my verses.
Blut aus deinen magren Brusten
Blood spurts from your meagre bosom
Hat des Schwertes Wut vergossen.
Which the sword’s blind rage has opened.
Deine ewig frischen Wunden
And your gashes, fresh for ever,
Gleichen Augen, rot und offen.
Are like bloodshot eyes, wide open.
Steig, o Mutter aller Schmerzen,
Climb, O Mother of all Sorrows
Auf den Altar meiner Verse!
On the altar of my verses.
In den abgezehrten Händen
In your wasting withered hands
Hältst du deines Sohnes Leiche.
You hold up your son’s rotting body,
Ihn zu zeigen aller Menschheit -
Which you offer to the people;
Doch der Blick der Menschen meidet
But the people’s eyes avoid your gaze,
Dich, o Mutter aller Schmerzen!
O Mother of all Sorrows.
Composer
Arnold Schoenberg
Arnold Franz Walter Schoenberg or Schönberg was an Austrian composer, music theorist, and painter. He was associated with the expressionist movement in German poetry and art, and leader of the Second Viennese School.
