Wohl schön bewandt war es
German source:
Georg Friedrich Daumer
War es vorehe
Mit meinem Leben,
Mit meiner Liebe!
Durch eine Wand,
Ja, durch zehn Wände,
Erkannte mich
Des Freundes Sehe.
Doch jetzo, wehe,
Wenn ich dem Kalten
Auch noch so dicht,
Vorm Auge stehe,
Es merkts sein Auge,
Sein Herze nicht.
All seemed rosy
English translation ©
Richard Stokes
at one time
with my life,
with my love!
Through a wall,
through ten walls,
my lover’s gaze
would reach me.
But now, alas,
I stand in front
of his cool gaze,
neither his eyes,
nor his heart,
takes note of me.
Translations by Richard Stokes, author of The Book of Lieder (Faber, 2005)
Wohl schön bewandt war es
German source:
Georg Friedrich Daumer
All seemed rosy
English source:
Richard Stokes
Wohl schön bewandt
All seemed rosy
War es vorehe
at one time
Mit meinem Leben,
with my life,
Mit meiner Liebe!
with my love!
Durch eine Wand,
Through a wall,
Ja, durch zehn Wände,
through ten walls,
Erkannte mich
my lover’s gaze
Des Freundes Sehe.
would reach me.
Doch jetzo, wehe,
But now, alas,
Wenn ich dem Kalten
I stand in front
Auch noch so dicht,
of his cool gaze,
Vorm Auge stehe,
neither his eyes,
Es merkts sein Auge,
nor his heart,
Sein Herze nicht.
takes note of me.
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
Georg Friedrich Daumer
Georg Friedrich Daumer was a German poet and philosopher.