Seit die Liebste war entfernt
German source:
Heinrich Heine
Hatt ich's Lachen ganz verlernt.
Schlechten Witz riß mancher Wicht,
Aber lachen konnt ich nicht.
Seit ich sie verloren hab,
Schafft ich auch das Weinen ab;
Fast vor Weh das Herz mir bricht,
Aber weinen kann ich nicht.
Since my loved one went away
English translation ©
Hal Draper
I’ve unlearned to laugh and play.
Jesters crack bad jokes and chaff,
But I can no longer laugh.
Since my lost love said adieu,
I have done with weeping too.
My heart breaks, and pain lies deep,
But I can no longer weep.
Translations by Hal Draper published by Oxford University Press and Suhrkamp/Insel Verlag (1984)
Seit die Liebste war entfernt
German source:
Heinrich Heine
Since my loved one went away
English source:
Hal Draper
Seit die Liebste war entfernt,
Since my loved one went away
Hatt ich's Lachen ganz verlernt.
I’ve unlearned to laugh and play.
Schlechten Witz riß mancher Wicht,
Jesters crack bad jokes and chaff,
Aber lachen konnt ich nicht.
But I can no longer laugh.
Seit ich sie verloren hab,
Since my lost love said adieu,
Schafft ich auch das Weinen ab;
I have done with weeping too.
Fast vor Weh das Herz mir bricht,
My heart breaks, and pain lies deep,
Aber weinen kann ich nicht.
But I can no longer weep.
Composer
Poet
Heinrich Heine
Heine was born of Jewish parents. Much of his early life was influenced by the financial power of his uncle Salomon Heine, a millionaire Hamburg banker, with whom he remained on an awkward footing for many years. After he had been educated in the…