Songs

Wunden trägst du, mein Geliebter

by Hugo Wolf From Spanisches Liederbuch: Geistliche Lieder (1890)

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This song was recorded live at the Oxford Lieder Festival as part of Hugo Wolf: The Complete Songs on Stone Records.
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Text & Translation

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Wunden trägst du, mein Geliebter
German source: Emanuel Geibel

Wunden trägst du mein Geliebter,
Und sie schmerzen dich;
Trüg’ ich sie statt deiner, ich!

Herr, wer wagt’ es so zu färben
Deine Stirn mit Blut und Schweiss?
„Diese Male sind der Preis,
Dich, o Seele, zu erwerben.
An den Wunden muss ich sterben,
Weil ich dich geliebt so heiss.“

Könnt’ ich, Herr, für dich sie tragen,
Da es Todeswunden sind.
„Wenn dies Leid dich rührt, mein Kind,
Magst du Lebenswunden sagen:
Ihrer keine ward geschlagen,
Draus für dich nicht Leben rinnt.“

Ach, wie mir in Herz und Sinnen
Deine Qual so wehe tut!
„Härtres noch mit treuem Mut
Trüg’ ich froh, dich zu gewinnen;
Denn nur der weiss recht zu minnen,
Der da stirbt vor Liebesglut.“

Wunden trägst du mein Geliebter,
Und sie schmerzen dich;
Trüg’ ich sie statt deiner, ich!

Thou art wounded, my belovèd Lord,
English translation © Richard Stokes

Thou art wounded, my belovèd Lord,
And dost suffer pain;
Would I could bear it for Thee!

Lord, who dared so to stain
Thy brow with blood and sweat?
“These wounds are the price
Of redeeming you, O soul.
From these wounds I must die
For my great love of you.”

I could I bear them, Lord, for Thee,
Since they are mortal wounds.
“If this suffering moves you, child,
You may call them living wounds:
Not one of them was made, from which
Life does not flow for you.”

Ah, how my heart and mind
Ache with Thy anguish!
“Harsher yet with true courage,
I’d gladly endure to redeem you;
For he alone knows how to love
Who has died for ardent love.”

Thou art wounded, my belovèd Lord,
And dost suffer pain;
Would I could bear it for Thee!

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

Wunden trägst du, mein Geliebter
German source: Emanuel Geibel

Thou art wounded, my belovèd Lord,
English source: Richard Stokes

Wunden trägst du mein Geliebter,
Thou art wounded, my belovèd Lord,
Und sie schmerzen dich;
And dost suffer pain;
Trüg’ ich sie statt deiner, ich!
Would I could bear it for Thee!

Herr, wer wagt’ es so zu färben
Lord, who dared so to stain
Deine Stirn mit Blut und Schweiss?
Thy brow with blood and sweat?
„Diese Male sind der Preis,
“These wounds are the price
Dich, o Seele, zu erwerben.
Of redeeming you, O soul.
An den Wunden muss ich sterben,
From these wounds I must die
Weil ich dich geliebt so heiss.“
For my great love of you.”

Könnt’ ich, Herr, für dich sie tragen,
I could I bear them, Lord, for Thee,
Da es Todeswunden sind.
Since they are mortal wounds.
„Wenn dies Leid dich rührt, mein Kind,
“If this suffering moves you, child,
Magst du Lebenswunden sagen:
You may call them living wounds:
Ihrer keine ward geschlagen,
Not one of them was made, from which
Draus für dich nicht Leben rinnt.“
Life does not flow for you.”

Ach, wie mir in Herz und Sinnen
Ah, how my heart and mind
Deine Qual so wehe tut!
Ache with Thy anguish!
„Härtres noch mit treuem Mut
“Harsher yet with true courage,
Trüg’ ich froh, dich zu gewinnen;
I’d gladly endure to redeem you;
Denn nur der weiss recht zu minnen,
For he alone knows how to love
Der da stirbt vor Liebesglut.“
Who has died for ardent love.”

Wunden trägst du mein Geliebter,
Thou art wounded, my belovèd Lord,
Und sie schmerzen dich;
And dost suffer pain;
Trüg’ ich sie statt deiner, ich!
Would I could bear it for Thee!

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

Emanuel Geibel

Emanuel von Geibel , German poet and playwright. He was born at Lübeck, the son of a pastor. He was originally intended for his father's profession and studied at Bonn and Berlin, but his real interests lay not in theology but in classical and…

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