Melancholie
German source:
Emanuel Geibel
Wann denn, wann denn!
Der mein Leben löst
Aus diesen Banden?
Ihr Augen, vom Leide,
So trübe, so trübe!
Saht nur Qual für Liebe,
Saht nicht eine Freude,
Saht nur Wunde auf Wunde,
Schmerz auf Schmerz mir geben,
Und im langen Leben
Keine frohe Stunde.
Wenn es endlich doch,
Endlich doch geschähe
Dass ich säh’ die Stunde,
Wo ich nimmer sähe!
Melancholy
English translation ©
Richard Stokes
When, O when!
That will free my life
From these bonds?
You my eyes,
So clouded by sorrow!
Saw only torment instead of love,
Saw no joy at all;
Saw only wound on wound,
Agony upon agony inflicted on me;
And in my long life,
Not a single cheerful hour.
If only the hour
Would finally,
Finally arrive,
When I could no longer see!
Melancholie
German source:
Emanuel Geibel
Melancholy
English source:
Richard Stokes
Wann, erscheint der Morgen,
When, when will the morning come,
Wann denn, wann denn!
When, O when!
Der mein Leben löst
That will free my life
Aus diesen Banden?
From these bonds?
Ihr Augen, vom Leide,
You my eyes,
So trübe, so trübe!
So clouded by sorrow!
Saht nur Qual für Liebe,
Saw only torment instead of love,
Saht nicht eine Freude,
Saw no joy at all;
Saht nur Wunde auf Wunde,
Saw only wound on wound,
Schmerz auf Schmerz mir geben,
Agony upon agony inflicted on me;
Und im langen Leben
And in my long life,
Keine frohe Stunde.
Not a single cheerful hour.
Wenn es endlich doch,
If only the hour
Endlich doch geschähe
Would finally,
Dass ich säh’ die Stunde,
Finally arrive,
Wo ich nimmer sähe!
When I could no longer see!
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
Emanuel Geibel
Emanuel von Geibel , German poet and playwright. He was born at Lübeck, the son of a pastor. He was originally intended for his father's profession and studied at Bonn and Berlin, but his real interests lay not in theology but in classical and…