Nicht Gelegenheit macht Diebe
German source:
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
Nicht Gelegenheit macht Diebe,
Sie ist selbst der größte Dieb;
Denn sie stahl den Rest der Liebe,
Die mir noch im Herzen blieb.
Dir hat sie ihn übergeben,
Meines Lebens Vollgewinn,
Daß ich nun, verarmt, mein Leben
Nur von dir gewärtig bin.
Doch ich fühle schon Erbarmen
Im Karfunkel deines Blicks
Und erfreu in deinen Armen
Mich erneuerten Geschicks.
It is not opportunity that makes thieves
English translation ©
Richard Stokes
It is not opportunity that makes thieves,
It is itself the greatest thief;
For it stole the rest of the love
That still remained in my heart.
It stole and gave away to you
All that I had gained in life,
So that now, impoverished,
I am dependent on you.
But I sense compassion
In your sapphire glances,
And in your embrace
Rejoice in fate once more.
Nicht Gelegenheit macht Diebe
German source:
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
It is not opportunity that makes thieves
English source:
Richard Stokes
HATEM
HATEM
Nicht Gelegenheit macht Diebe,
It is not opportunity that makes thieves,
Sie ist selbst der größte Dieb;
It is itself the greatest thief;
Denn sie stahl den Rest der Liebe,
For it stole the rest of the love
Die mir noch im Herzen blieb.
That still remained in my heart.
Dir hat sie ihn übergeben,
It stole and gave away to you
Meines Lebens Vollgewinn,
All that I had gained in life,
Daß ich nun, verarmt, mein Leben
So that now, impoverished,
Nur von dir gewärtig bin.
I am dependent on you.
Doch ich fühle schon Erbarmen
But I sense compassion
Im Karfunkel deines Blicks
In your sapphire glances,
Und erfreu in deinen Armen
And in your embrace
Mich erneuerten Geschicks.
Rejoice in fate once more.
Composer
Hugo Wolf
Hugo Filipp Jakob Wolf was born on 13 March 1860, the fourth of six surviving children, in Windischgraz, Styria, then part of the Austrian Empire. He was taught the piano and violin by his father at an early age and continued to study piano at the…
Poet
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
Johann Wolfgang Goethe was a German writer and statesman. His body of work includes epic and lyric poetry written in a variety of metres and styles; prose and verse dramas; memoirs; an autobiography; literary and aesthetic criticism; treatises on…