Ich bin der Welt abhanden gekommen

Ich bin der Welt abhanden gekommen,
Mit der ich sonst viele Zeit verdorben,
Sie hat so lange [von mir nichts]1 vernommen,
Sie mag wohl glauben, ich sei gestorben.

Es ist mir auch gar nichts daran gelegen,
Ob sie mich für gestorben hält,
Ich kann auch gar nichts sagen dagegen,
Denn wirklich bin ich gestorben der Welt.

Ich bin gestorben dem [Weltgewimmel]2,
Und ruh' in einem stillen Gebiet.
Ich leb' allein [in mir und meinem]3 Himmel,
In meinem Lieben, in meinem Lied.

View original text (without footnotes)
¹ Mahler: "nichts von mir"
² Mahler: "Weltgetümmel"
³ Mahler: "in meinem"

Authorship

by Friedrich Rückert (1788-1866) , no title, from Liebesfrühling, in 4. Vierter Strauß. Wiedergewonnen, no. 29

Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive)

by Rudolph Bergh (1859-1924) , "Ich bin der Welt abhanden gekommen", op. 30 no. 2. [voice and piano]
by Franz Ippisch (1883-1958) , "Ich bin der Welt abhanden gekommen", 1918 [voice and piano], from Acht Lieder mit Klavierbegleitung aus dem "Liebesfrühling" von Friedrich Rückert für hohe Stimme, no. 7.
by Gustav Mahler (1860-1911) , "Ich bin der Welt abhanden gekommen", 1901-2, published 1905, from Fünf Rückertlieder, no. 4.

ENG English (Emily Ezust) , "I am lost to the world", copyright ©
SWE Swedish (Yvonne Helander) , "Jag har släppt taget om världen", copyright © 2006, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
SPA Spanish (Elena María Accinelli) , "He desaparecido del mundo", copyright © 2007, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
ITA Italian (Ferdinando Albeggiani) , "Straniero al mondo sono diventato", copyright © 2008, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
FRE French (Guy Laffaille) , title unknown, copyright © 2009, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
FIN Finnish (Erkki Pullinen) , title unknown, copyright © 2009, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
CAT Catalan (Salvador Pila) , "He esdevingut distant del món", copyright © 2013, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
POL Polish (Alicja Istigniejew) , "Jestem stracony dla świata", copyright © 2013, (re)printed on this website with kind permission

Text added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.

Notes about green, red, and white dots

Gentle Reminder

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I am lost to the world

 I am lost to the world
 with which I used to waste so much time,
 It has heard nothing from me for so long
 that it may very well believe that I am dead!

 It is of no consequence to me
 Whether it thinks me dead;
 I cannot deny it,
 for I really am dead to the world.

 I am dead to the world's tumult,
 And I rest in a quiet realm!
 I live alone in my heaven,
 In my love and in my song!

Authorship

Translation from German to English copyright © by Emily Ezust,

a text in German by Friedrich Rückert (1788-1866) , no title, from Liebesfrühling, in 4. Vierter Strauß. Wiedergewonnen, no. 29 CAT SWE ITA FRE FIN SPA POL

Text added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.