Text & Translation
Při vyšívání ('The Embroideress')
Czech source:
Otilie Malybrok-Stieler
jež z práce září nám!
Ta v trudné době lkání
co anděl nás tu chrání
a rázem žal je ten tam.
Ba často duši souží
zlé zoufalosti vír!
Však pokud zrak mi slouží
a v práci jehla krouží
jak vlídný vsrdci mír!
Mně v bídě upokojí
jen práce klopotná:
ta rány srdce hojí
z ní po tom těžkém boji
mi vzešla spása má!
The embroideress
English translation ©
Richard Stokes
That work affords us!
Into our life of suffering
Work comes as an angel,
And our tears gradually dry.
I often thought I’d perish
With all too bitter pain!
As long as I have the sight
To knit and sew,
My heart will fall silent!
Work alone can comfort me
In my hours of suffering:
Work heals the heart’s wounds,
It is through work that I have found
Salvation here on earth.
Při vyšívání ('The Embroideress')
Czech source:
Otilie Malybrok-Stieler
The embroideress
English source:
Richard Stokes
Jak velké požehnání,
How great is the bliss
jež z práce září nám!
That work affords us!
Ta v trudné době lkání
Into our life of suffering
co anděl nás tu chrání
Work comes as an angel,
a rázem žal je ten tam.
And our tears gradually dry.
Ba často duši souží
I often thought I’d perish
zlé zoufalosti vír!
With all too bitter pain!
Však pokud zrak mi slouží
As long as I have the sight
a v práci jehla krouží
To knit and sew,
jak vlídný vsrdci mír!
My heart will fall silent!
Mně v bídě upokojí
Work alone can comfort me
jen práce klopotná:
In my hours of suffering:
ta rány srdce hojí
Work heals the heart’s wounds,
z ní po tom těžkém boji
It is through work that I have found
mi vzešla spása má!
Salvation here on earth.
Composer
Antonín Dvořák
Antonín Leopold Dvořák (8 September 1841 – 1 May 1904) was a Czech composer, one of the first to achieve worldwide recognition. He frequently employed rhythms and other aspects of the folk music of Moravia and his native Bohemia. Read his full…
Poet
Otilie Malybrok-Stieler
Otilie Malybrok-Stieler was a German poet and translator. Her works were on occassion published under the name Ottilie Kleinschrod. She translated texts of Czech songs, poems and opera librettos into German and often expressed in her own work her…