Songs

Verratene Liebe

by Robert Schumann From Fünf Lieder (1840) Op. 40

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Text & Translation

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Verratene Liebe
German source: Adelbert von Chamisso

Da nachts wir uns küßten, o Mädchen,
Hat keiner uns zugeschaut.
Die Sterne, die standen am Himmel,
Wir haben den Sternen getraut.

Es ist ein Stern gefallen,
Der hat dem Meer uns verklagt,
Da hat das Meer es dem Ruder,
Das Ruder dem Schiffer gesagt.

Da sang der selbige Schiffer
Es seiner Liebsten vor.
Nun singen’s auf Straßen und Märkten
Die Knaben und Mädchen im Chor.

Betrayed Love
English translation © Richard Stokes

That night we kissed each other, O maiden,
No one was observing us.
The stars, which stood in the sky—
We confided only in those stars.

It was one star that fell,
And accused us to the sea;
Then the sea told it to a rudder,
And the rudder told it to a sailor.

That same sailor sang it
To his sweetheart.
Now, on the streets and in the market,
The boys and girls sing of it in chorus.

Translations by Richard Stokes, author of The Book of Lieder (Faber, 2005)

Verratene Liebe
German source: Adelbert von Chamisso

Betrayed Love
English source: Richard Stokes

Da nachts wir uns küßten, o Mädchen,
That night we kissed each other, O maiden,
Hat keiner uns zugeschaut.
No one was observing us.
Die Sterne, die standen am Himmel,
The stars, which stood in the sky—
Wir haben den Sternen getraut.
We confided only in those stars.

Es ist ein Stern gefallen,
It was one star that fell,
Der hat dem Meer uns verklagt,
And accused us to the sea;
Da hat das Meer es dem Ruder,
Then the sea told it to a rudder,
Das Ruder dem Schiffer gesagt.
And the rudder told it to a sailor.

Da sang der selbige Schiffer
That same sailor sang it
Es seiner Liebsten vor.
To his sweetheart.
Nun singen’s auf Straßen und Märkten
Now, on the streets and in the market,
Die Knaben und Mädchen im Chor.
The boys and girls sing of it in chorus.

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

Adelbert von Chamisso

Adelbert von Chamisso was a German poet and botanist, author of Peter Schlemihl, a famous story about a man who sold his shadow. He was commonly known in French as Adelbert de Chamisso(t) de Boncourt, a name referring to the family estate at…

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