Text & Translation
Wenn ich dein gedenke
German source:
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
Fragt mich gleich der Schenke:
“Herr, warum so still?
Da von deinen Lehren
Immer weiter hören
Saki gerne will.”
Wenn ich mich vergesse
Unter der Zypresse,
Hält er nichts davon;
Und im stillen Kreise
Bin ich doch so weise,
Klug wie Salomon.
When I think of you
English translation ©
Richard Stokes
Saki at once enquires:
‘Why are you so silent, sir?
For Saki would always
Gladly hear more
Of your teaching.’
When I forget myself
Under the cypresses,
He’s not impressed at all,
And yet in quiet surroundings
I am as wise
And clever as Solomon.
Wenn ich dein gedenke
German source:
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
When I think of you
English source:
Richard Stokes
Wenn ich dein gedenke,
When I think of you,
Fragt mich gleich der Schenke:
Saki at once enquires:
“Herr, warum so still?
‘Why are you so silent, sir?
Da von deinen Lehren
For Saki would always
Immer weiter hören
Gladly hear more
Saki gerne will.”
Of your teaching.’
Wenn ich mich vergesse
When I forget myself
Unter der Zypresse,
Under the cypresses,
Hält er nichts davon;
He’s not impressed at all,
Und im stillen Kreise
And yet in quiet surroundings
Bin ich doch so weise,
I am as wise
Klug wie Salomon.
And clever as Solomon.
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
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
Johann Wolfgang Goethe was a German writer and statesman. His body of work includes epic and lyric poetry written in a variety of metres and styles; prose and verse dramas; memoirs; an autobiography; literary and aesthetic criticism; treatises on…