Songs

Tief im Herzen trag ich Pein

by Robert Schumann From Spanische Liebeslieder (1849) Op. 138 31.iii–3.iv & 25.xi.1849

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Text & Translation

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Tief im Herzen trag ich Pein
German source: Emanuel Geibel

Tief im Herzen trag’ ich Pein,
Muss nach aussen stille sein.

Den geliebten Schmerz verhehle
Tief ich vor der Welt Gesicht;
Und es fühlt ihn nur die Seele,
Denn der Leib verdient ihn nicht.
Wie der Funke frei und licht
Sich verbirgt im Kieselstein,
Trag’ ich innen tief die Pein.

Deep in my heart I bear my grief
English translation © Eric Sams

Deep in my heart I bear suffering,
Outwardly I must be silent.

The cherished pain I hide
Deep from the world’s sight;
And only the soul feels it,
Since the body deserves it not.
As the spark, free and bright,
Hides itself in the flint,
I bear my suffering deep within.

Translation by Eric Sams

Tief im Herzen trag ich Pein
German source: Emanuel Geibel

Deep in my heart I bear my grief
English source: Eric Sams

Tief im Herzen trag’ ich Pein,
Deep in my heart I bear suffering,
Muss nach aussen stille sein.
Outwardly I must be silent.

Den geliebten Schmerz verhehle
The cherished pain I hide
Tief ich vor der Welt Gesicht;
Deep from the world’s sight;
Und es fühlt ihn nur die Seele,
And only the soul feels it,
Denn der Leib verdient ihn nicht.
Since the body deserves it not.
Wie der Funke frei und licht
As the spark, free and bright,
Sich verbirgt im Kieselstein,
Hides itself in the flint,
Trag’ ich innen tief die Pein.
I bear my suffering deep within.

Composer

Robert Schumann

Robert Schumann was a German composer and influential music critic. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest composers of the Romantic era. Schumann left the study of law, intending to pursue a career as a virtuoso pianist. He had been assured…

Poet

Emanuel Geibel

Emanuel von Geibel , German poet and playwright. He was born at Lübeck, the son of a pastor. He was originally intended for his father's profession and studied at Bonn and Berlin, but his real interests lay not in theology but in classical and…

Performances

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