Text & Translation
Nun hast du mir den ersten Schmerz getan
German source:
Adelbert von Chamisso
Der aber traf.
Du schläfst, du harter, unbarmherz'ger Mann,
Den Todesschlaf.
Es blicket die Verlasßne vor sich hin,
Die Welt ist leer.
Geliebet hab' ich und gelebt, ich bin
Nicht lebend mehr.
Ich zieh' mich in mein Innres still zurück,
Der Schleier fällt,
Da hab' ich dich und mein vergang'nes Glück,
Du meine Welt!
Now you have caused me my first pain
English translation ©
Richard Stokes
But it struck hard.
You sleep, you harsh and pitiless man,
The sleep of death.
The deserted one stares ahead,
The world is void.
I have loved and I have lived,
And now my life is done.
Silently I withdraw into myself,
The veil falls,
There I have you and my lost happiness,
You, my world!
Translations by Richard Stokes, author of The Book of Lieder (Faber, 2005)
Nun hast du mir den ersten Schmerz getan
German source:
Adelbert von Chamisso
Now you have caused me my first pain
English source:
Richard Stokes
Nun hast du mir den ersten Schmerz getan,
Now you have caused me my first pain,
Der aber traf.
But it struck hard.
Du schläfst, du harter, unbarmherz'ger Mann,
You sleep, you harsh and pitiless man,
Den Todesschlaf.
The sleep of death.
Es blicket die Verlasßne vor sich hin,
The deserted one stares ahead,
Die Welt ist leer.
The world is void.
Geliebet hab' ich und gelebt, ich bin
I have loved and I have lived,
Nicht lebend mehr.
And now my life is done.
Ich zieh' mich in mein Innres still zurück,
Silently I withdraw into myself,
Der Schleier fällt,
The veil falls,
Da hab' ich dich und mein vergang'nes Glück,
There I have you and my lost happiness,
Du meine Welt!
You, my world!
Composer
Carl Loewe
Johann Carl Gottfried Loewe (G30 November 1796 – 20 April 1869),was a German composer, tenor singer and conductor. He wrote over 400 ballads and songs. Information from Wikipedia. Read more here.
Poet
Adelbert von Chamisso
Adelbert von Chamisso was a German poet and botanist, author of Peter Schlemihl, a famous story about a man who sold his shadow. He was commonly known in French as Adelbert de Chamisso(t) de Boncourt, a name referring to the family estate at…