Verzweiflung
German source:
Ludwig Tieck
Und windet euch rund um mich her!
Mag Unglück doch laut um mich bellen,
Erbost sein das grausame Meer!
Ich lache den stürmenden Wettern,
Verachte den Zorngrimm der Flut,
O mögen mich Felsen zerschmettern!
Denn nimmer wird es gut.
Nicht klag ich, und mag ich nun scheitern,
In wäßrigen Tiefen vergehn!
Mein Blick wird sich nie mehr erheitern,
Den Stern meiner Liebe zu sehn.
So wälzt euch bergab mit Gewittern,
Und raset, ihr Stürme, mich an,
Daß Felsen an Felsen zersplittern!
Ich bin ein verlorener Mann.
Despair
English translation ©
Richard Stokes
And coil yourselves around me!
Let misfortune rage loud around me,
And let the cruel sea roar!
I scoff at the raging gales,
Scorn the fury of the flood,
If only rocks would dash me to pieces!
For I shall never thrive.
I shall not complain, though I now founder,
And perish in watery depths!
Nevermore shall my gaze be cheered
By the sight of my love’s star.
So thunder down the mountainside,
And rage at me, you storms,
So that rock shatters on rock!
I am a lost man.
Translation © Richard Stokes, author of The Book of Lieder (Faber, 2005)
Verzweiflung
German source:
Ludwig Tieck
Despair
English source:
Richard Stokes
So tönet denn, schäumende Wellen,
Resound, then, foaming waves,
Und windet euch rund um mich her!
And coil yourselves around me!
Mag Unglück doch laut um mich bellen,
Let misfortune rage loud around me,
Erbost sein das grausame Meer!
And let the cruel sea roar!
Ich lache den stürmenden Wettern,
I scoff at the raging gales,
Verachte den Zorngrimm der Flut,
Scorn the fury of the flood,
O mögen mich Felsen zerschmettern!
If only rocks would dash me to pieces!
Denn nimmer wird es gut.
For I shall never thrive.
Nicht klag ich, und mag ich nun scheitern,
I shall not complain, though I now founder,
In wäßrigen Tiefen vergehn!
And perish in watery depths!
Mein Blick wird sich nie mehr erheitern,
Nevermore shall my gaze be cheered
Den Stern meiner Liebe zu sehn.
By the sight of my love’s star.
So wälzt euch bergab mit Gewittern,
So thunder down the mountainside,
Und raset, ihr Stürme, mich an,
And rage at me, you storms,
Daß Felsen an Felsen zersplittern!
So that rock shatters on rock!
Ich bin ein verlorener Mann.
I am a lost man.
Composer
Johannes Brahms
Johannes Brahms (7 May 1833 – 3 April 1897) was a German composer, pianist, and conductor of the Romantic period. Born in Hamburg into a Lutheran family, Brahms spent much of his professional life in Vienna. Brahms has been considered, by his…
Poet
Ludwig Tieck
Johann Ludwig Tieck (31 May 1773 – 28 April 1853) was a German poet, fiction writer, translator, and critic. He was one of the founding fathers of the Romantic movement in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. You can read more about him here.