Nur wer die Sehnsucht kennt „Lied der Mignon“
German source:
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
Weiss, was ich leide!
Allein und abgetrennt
Von aller Freude,
Seh’ ich an’s Firmament
Nach jener Seite.
Ach! der mich liebt und kennt
Ist in der Weite.
Es schwindelt mir, es brennt
Mein Eingeweide.
Nur wer die Sehnsucht kennt
Weiss, was ich leide!
Only he who knows longing ('Mignon's Song')
English translation ©
Richard Wigmore
knows what I suffer.
Alone, cut off
from all joy,
I gaze at the firmament
in that direction.
Ah, he who loves and knows me
is far away.
I feel giddy,
my vitals are aflame.
Only he who knows longing
knows what I suffer.
Translations by Richard Wigmore first published by Gollancz and reprinted in the Hyperion Schubert Song Edition
Nur wer die Sehnsucht kennt „Lied der Mignon“
German source:
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
Only he who knows longing ('Mignon's Song')
English source:
Richard Wigmore
Nur wer die Sehnsucht kennt
Only he who knows longing
Weiss, was ich leide!
knows what I suffer.
Allein und abgetrennt
Alone, cut off
Von aller Freude,
from all joy,
Seh’ ich an’s Firmament
I gaze at the firmament
Nach jener Seite.
in that direction.
Ach! der mich liebt und kennt
Ah, he who loves and knows me
Ist in der Weite.
is far away.
Es schwindelt mir, es brennt
I feel giddy,
Mein Eingeweide.
my vitals are aflame.
Nur wer die Sehnsucht kennt
Only he who knows longing
Weiss, was ich leide!
knows what I suffer.
Composer
Franz Schubert
Franz Peter Schubert was an late Classical and early Romantic composer. He produced a vast oeuvre during his short life, composing more the 600 vocal works (largely Lieder), and well as several symphonies, operas, and a large body of piano music. He…
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…