Du Ring an meinem Finger

Du Ring an meinem Finger,
Mein goldenes Ringelein,
Ich drücke dich fromm an die Lippen,
Dich fromm an das Herze mein.

Ich hatt ihn ausgeträumet,
Der Kindheit friedlich schönen Traum,
Ich fand allein mich, verloren
Im öden, unendlichen Raum.

Du Ring an meinem Finger
Da hast du mich erst belehrt,
Hast meinem Blick erschlossen
Des Lebens unendlichen, tiefen Wert.

Ich [werd']1 ihm dienen, ihm leben,
Ihm angehören ganz,
Hin selber mich geben und finden
Verklärt mich in seinem Glanz.

Du Ring an meinem Finger,
Mein goldenes Ringelein,
Ich drücke dich fromm an die Lippen
Dich fromm an das Herze mein.

View original text (without footnotes)
¹ Schumann, Loewe: "will"

Authorship

by Adelbert von Chamisso (1781-1838) , no title, from Lieder und lyrisch epische Gedichte, in Frauen-Liebe und Leben, no. 4

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

by Elizabeth R. Austin (1938-) , "Du Ring an meinem Finger", 1999 [mezzo-soprano or soprano and piano], from Frauenliebe und -leben, no. 4.
by Franz von Blon (1861-1945) , "Du Ring an meinem Finger", published 1895 [high voice and piano], from the collection [Elf] Lieder und Gesänge für 1 hohe Stimme mit Pianoforte, no. 8, Berlin, Tschentscher
by W. Eckardt , "Mein goldnes Ringelein", op. 2 (Lieder für Sopran oder Tenor) no. 5, published 1845 [soprano or tenor and piano], Berlin, Schlesinger
by Johann Karl Gottfried Loewe (1796-1869) , "Du Ring an meinem Finger", op. 60 no. 4 (1836), from Frauenliebe, Liederkranz von Chamisso, no. 4.
by Hans Schuchart , "Das gold'ne Ringelein", published 1900 [voice and piano], Berlin, Fechner
by August Schulz , "Frauenliebe", op. 29 (Sechs Lieder für 4 stimmigen Männerchor) no. 3, published 1874 [four-part men's chorus], Braunschweig, Bauer
by Robert Alexander Schumann (1810-1856) , "Du Ring an meinem Finger", op. 42 no. 4, from Frauenliebe und -Leben, no. 4.
by Sigismund Thalberg (1812-1871) , "Der Ring", op. 25 (Sechs deutsche Lieder, Sechstes Heft) no. 6. [voice and piano]

ENG English (Daniel Platt) , "Thou ring on my finger", copyright ©, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
ITA Italian (Amelia Maria Imbarrato) , "Tu anello al mio dito", copyright © 2007, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
FRE French (Pierre Mathé) , "Toi anneau à mon doigt", copyright © 2008, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
NOR Norwegian (Bokmål) (Marianne Beate Kielland) , title unknown, copyright © 2009, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
DUT Dutch [singable] (Lau Kanen) , title unknown, copyright © 2010, (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

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Thou ring on my finger

Thou ring on my finger, 
my little golden ring, 
I press thee piously upon my lips 
piously upon my heart. 

I had dreamt it, 
the tranquil, lovely dream of childhood, 
I found myself alone and lost 
in barren, infinite space. 

Thou ring on my finger, 
thou hast taught me for the first time, 
hast opened my gaze unto 
the endless, deep value of life. 

I want to serve him, live for him, 
belong to him entire, 
Give myself and find myself 
transfigured in his radiance. 

Thou ring on my finger, 
my little golden ring, 
I press thee piously upon lips, 
piously upon my heart.

Authorship

Translation from German to English copyright © by Daniel Platt, abelard2 (AT) aol (DOT) com, http://davidsbuendler.freehostia.com/davidsbuendler.htm, (re)printed on this website with kind permission. Please contact the copyright-holder(s) when requesting permission to reprint and be sure to give proper credit.

a text in German by Adelbert von Chamisso (1781-1838) , no title, from Lieder und lyrisch epische Gedichte, in Frauen-Liebe und Leben, no. 4 NOR DUT ITA FRE

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