Was will die einsame Träne?
German source:
Heinrich Heine
Sie trübt mir ja den Blick.
Sie blieb aus alten Zeiten
In meinem Auge zurück.
Sie hatte viel leuchtende Schwestern,
Die alle zerflossen sind,
Mit meinen Qualen und Freuden,
Zerflossen in Nacht und Wind.
Wie Nebel sind auch zerflossen
Die blauen Sternelein,
Die mir jene Freuden und Qualen
Gelächelt ins Herz hinein.
Ach, meine Liebe selber
Zerfloss wie eitel Hauch!
Du alte, einsame Träne,
Zerfliesse jetzunder auch!
Why this solitary Tear?
English translation ©
Richard Stokes
It troubles my gaze.
It has remained in my eye
From days long past
.
It had many shining sisters
Who have all vanished,
Vanished with my joys and sorrows
In night and wind.
Like mist, those tiny blue stars
Have also vanished
That smiled those joys and sorrows
Into my heart.
Ah, my love itself
Vanished like a mere breath of air!
Old, solitary tear,
Vanish now as well!
Translations by Richard Stokes, author of The Book of Lieder (Faber, 2005)
Was will die einsame Träne?
German source:
Heinrich Heine
Why this solitary Tear?
English source:
Richard Stokes
Was will die einsame Träne?
Why this solitary tear?
Sie trübt mir ja den Blick.
It troubles my gaze.
Sie blieb aus alten Zeiten
It has remained in my eye
In meinem Auge zurück.
From days long past
Sie hatte viel leuchtende Schwestern,
Like mist, those tiny blue stars
Die alle zerflossen sind,
Have also vanished
Mit meinen Qualen und Freuden,
That smiled those joys and sorrows
Zerflossen in Nacht und Wind.
Into my heart.
Wie Nebel sind auch zerflossen
Ah, my love itself
Die blauen Sternelein,
Vanished like a mere breath of air!
Die mir jene Freuden und Qualen
Old, solitary tear,
Gelächelt ins Herz hinein.
Vanish now as well!
Ach, meine Liebe selber
Zerfloss wie eitel Hauch!
Du alte, einsame Träne,
Zerfliesse jetzunder auch!
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
Heinrich Heine
Heine was born of Jewish parents. Much of his early life was influenced by the financial power of his uncle Salomon Heine, a millionaire Hamburg banker, with whom he remained on an awkward footing for many years. After he had been educated in the…