Text & Translation
Selige Welt
German source:
Senn, Johann
Ich sitze gemut in meinem Kahn,
Nicht Ziel, noch Steuer, hin und her,
Wie die Strömung reisst, wie die Winde gahn.
Eine selige Insel sucht der Wahn,
Doch eine ist es nicht.
Du lande gläubig überall an,
Wo sich Wasser an Erde bricht.
Blessed world
English translation ©
Richard Wigmore
I sit comfortably in my boat,
without destination, without tiller, moving to and fro,
as the current takes me, as the winds blow.
folly seeks a blessed isle,
but no such isle exists.
Be trusting, land wherever
water breaks against the shore.
Richard Wigmore © 2005
Selige Welt
German source:
Senn, Johann
Blessed world
English source:
Richard Wigmore
Ich treibe auf des Lebens Meer,
I drift upon life’s sea;
Ich sitze gemut in meinem Kahn,
I sit comfortably in my boat,
Nicht Ziel, noch Steuer, hin und her,
without destination, without tiller, moving to and fro,
Wie die Strömung reisst, wie die Winde gahn.
as the current takes me, as the winds blow.
Eine selige Insel sucht der Wahn,
folly seeks a blessed isle,
Doch eine ist es nicht.
but no such isle exists.
Du lande gläubig überall an,
Be trusting, land wherever
Wo sich Wasser an Erde bricht.
water breaks against the shore.
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
Senn, Johann
Johann Chrysostomus Senn was a political lyric poet of the Vormärz. Johann Senn was the son of the freedom fighter, Franz Michael Senn. He lived in Vienna from 1807 and attended the Akademische Gymnasium. He was a pupil of the Wiener Stadtkonvikt…