Like to the damask rose (Wastell, set by E. Elgar) (The Lied and Art Song Texts Page: Texts and Translations to Lieder, mélodies, canzoni, and other classical vocal music)


Like [as]¹ the damask rose you see,
Or like the blossom on [the]² tree,
Or like the dainty flow'r of May,
Or like the morning [to]³ the day,
Or like the sun, or like the shade,
Or like the gourd which Jonas had,
Even such is man, whose thread is spun,
Drawn out, and cut, and so is done :
The rose withers, the blossom blasteth,
The flower fades, the morning hasteth,
The sun sets, the shadow flies,
The gourd consumes, [and]⁴ man, he dies.


Like to the grass that's newly sprung,
Or like a tale that's new begun,
Or like [the]² bird that's here to-day,
Or like the pearled dew of May,
Or like an hour, or like a span,
Or like the singing of a swan,
Even such is man, who lives by breath,
Is here, now there, in life, and death :
The grass withers, the tale is ended,
The bird is flown, the dew's ascended,
The hour is short, the span not long,
The swan's near death, - man's life is done.

View text without footnotes
¹ Elgar: "to"
² Elgar: "a"
³ Elgar: "of"
⁴ Elgar: " -- the"

Authorship

Simon Wastell (1560-1635)

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

Sir Edward Elgar (1857-1934)

Seven Lieder of Edward Elgar

German

Set in German, adapted by Ed. Sachs GER

Sir Edward Elgar (1857-1934)

Seven Lieder of Edward Elgar

English

Date added to the website: 2008-08-28.

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