Die Antwort
Language: German (Deutsch)
Available translation(s): ENG
Der Nachbarin Climene
Schrieb ich von Lieb und Glut.
Die christlich holde Schöne
[War]1 allen Menschen gut.
Sie hat den Brief bekommen,
[Voll Sehnsucht]2 angenommen,
Geküßt und aufgemacht,
Gelesen und gelacht.
Ach Gott, das gute Kind!
Sie wird wohl wieder schreiben?
Nein, schreiben kann sie nicht.
Nur sich die Zeit vertreiben,
Ist ihre Kunst und Pflicht.
[Doch ohne Trost mich lassen]3,
Hieß meine Liebe hassen;
Drum kommt sie selbst zu mir,
Durch unsre Hintertür.
Ach, gar zu gutes Kind!
View original text (without footnotes)
1 "ist" in Bach
2 "Ihn freundlich" in Bach
3 "Mich ohne Antwort lassen" in Bach
Authorship:
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- ENG English (Michael P Rosewall) , "The Answer", copyright © 2023, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Researcher for this page: Sharon Krebs
[Guest Editor] This text was added to the website: 2007-11-19
Line count: 18
Word count: 79
The Answer
Language: English  after the German (Deutsch)
To my neighbor, Climene,
I wrote of love and passion.
The dear, pious beauty
Is good to everyone.
She received the letter,
Full of longing, Took it,
Kissed it, opened it,
Read it and laughed.
Oh god, that wonderful child!
Will she write me back?
No, she can’t write.
Just passing the time,
Is her skill and duty.
But to leave me without peace of mind,
Is to disdain my love;
Yet, she comes herself to me,
At our back door.
Oh, such a wonderful child!
Authorship:
- Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2023 by Michael P Rosewall, (re)printed on this website with kind permission. To reprint and distribute this author's work for concert programs, CD booklets, etc., you may ask the copyright-holder(s) directly or ask us; we are authorized to grant permission on their behalf. Please provide the translator's name when contacting us.
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Based on:
This text was added to the website: 2023-04-08
Line count: 18
Word count: 86