Songs

Wenn du mich mit den Augen streifst und lachst

by Hugo Wolf From Italienisches Liederbuch

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Text & Translation

View IPA

Wenn du mich mit den Augen streifst und lachst
German source: Paul Heyse

Wenn du mich mit den Augen streifst und lachst,
Sie senkst und neigst das Kinn zum Busen dann,
Bitt ich, dass du mir erst ein Zeichen machst,
Damit ich doch mein Herz auch bänd’gen kann,
Dass ich mein Herz mag bänd’gen, zahm und still,
Wenn es vor grosser Liebe springen will,
Dass ich mein Herz mag halten in der Brust,
Wenn es ausbrechen will vor grosser Lust.

When you glance at me fleetingly and laugh
English translation © Richard Stokes

When you glance at me fleetingly and laugh,
Then look down and sink your chin on your breast,
I implore you to give me first a sign,
So that I might restrain my heart.
That I might restrain and tame my heart,
When it would leap up for great love,
That I might keep my heart in my breast,
When it would break out for great joy.

Translation © Richard Stokes, author of The Book of Lieder (Faber, 2005)

Wenn du mich mit den Augen streifst und lachst
German source: Paul Heyse

When you glance at me fleetingly and laugh
English source: Richard Stokes

Wenn du mich mit den Augen streifst und lachst,
When you glance at me fleetingly and laugh,
Sie senkst und neigst das Kinn zum Busen dann,
Then look down and sink your chin on your breast,
Bitt ich, dass du mir erst ein Zeichen machst,
I implore you to give me first a sign,
Damit ich doch mein Herz auch bänd’gen kann,
So that I might restrain my heart.
Dass ich mein Herz mag bänd’gen, zahm und still,
That I might restrain and tame my heart,
Wenn es vor grosser Liebe springen will,
When it would leap up for great love,
Dass ich mein Herz mag halten in der Brust,
That I might keep my heart in my breast,
Wenn es ausbrechen will vor grosser Lust.
When it would break out for great joy.

Composer

Hugo Wolf

Hugo Filipp Jakob Wolf was born on 13 March 1860, the fourth of six surviving children, in Windischgraz, Styria, then part of the Austrian Empire. He was taught the piano and violin by his father at an early age and continued to study piano at the…

Poet

Paul Heyse

Paul Johann Ludwig von Heyse was a distinguished German writer and translator. A member of two important literary societies, the Tunnel über der Spree in Berlin and Die Krokodile in Munich, he wrote novels, poetry, 177 short stories, and about sixty…

Performances

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