Wasserfahrt
German source:
Heinrich Heine
Und zählte jede Welle.
[Ade!]1 mein schönes Vaterland!
Mein Schiff, das segelt schnelle!
Ich kam schön Liebchens Haus vorbei,
Die Fensterscheiben blinken;
Ich [guck']2 mir fast die Augen aus,
Doch will mir niemand winken.
Ihr Tränen, bleibt mir aus dem Aug',
Daß ich nicht dunkel sehe.
[Mein krankes]3 Herze brich mir nicht
Vor allzugroßem Wehe
Sea voyage
English translation ©
Richard Stokes
And counted every wave.
Farewell, my lovely fatherland!
My ship speeds swiftly on!
I passed before my sweetheart's house,
The windows were shining bright;
I almost stare my eyes out.
But no one makes a sign.
Be gone, you tears, from my eyes,
So that I'm not blinded.
My sick heart, O do not break
From excessive grief.
Wasserfahrt
German source:
Heinrich Heine
Sea voyage
English source:
Richard Stokes
Ich stand gelehnet an den Mast,
I stood leaning against the mast
Und zählte jede Welle.
And counted every wave.
[Ade!]1 mein schönes Vaterland!
Farewell, my lovely fatherland!
Mein Schiff, das segelt schnelle!
My ship speeds swiftly on!
Ich kam schön Liebchens Haus vorbei,
I passed before my sweetheart's house,
Die Fensterscheiben blinken;
The windows were shining bright;
Ich [guck']2 mir fast die Augen aus,
I almost stare my eyes out.
Doch will mir niemand winken.
But no one makes a sign.
Ihr Tränen, bleibt mir aus dem Aug',
Be gone, you tears, from my eyes,
Daß ich nicht dunkel sehe.
So that I'm not blinded.
[Mein krankes]3 Herze brich mir nicht
My sick heart, O do not break
Vor allzugroßem Wehe
From excessive grief.
Composer
Felix Mendelssohn
Jakob Ludwig Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy (3 February 1809 – 4 November 1847), brother of Fanny Mendelssohn and grandson of Haskalah and Enlightenment philosopher Moses Mendelssohn, was a German composer, pianist, organist and conductor of the early…
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…