Like to the damask rose

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.

by Simon Wastell (1560-1635) , "The flesh profiteth nothing"

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

by Sir Edward Elgar (1857-1934) , "Like to the damask rose", 1892, published 1907, first performed 1897 [voice and piano], from Seven Lieder of Edward Elgar, no. 1, note: first published separately in 1892, also set in German

by Sir Edward Elgar (1857-1934) , "Gleich wie der roten Rose Pracht", 1892, published 1907, first performed 1897 [voice and piano], from Seven Lieder of Edward Elgar, no. 1, also set in English

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

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Gleich wie der roten Rose Pracht

Gleich wie der roten Rose Pracht,
Und gleich der Blüt' die am Zweige lacht,
Gleich wie die Blume bei dem Hag,
Gleich wie der Morgen von dem Tag,
Gleich wie die Sonn', dem Schatten gleich,
Und wie die Welle auf dem Teich:
So, Mensch, bist du, dess Faden spann
Der Parze Hand, dess Zeit verran.
Die Rose stirbt, die Blüt' nicht weilet,
Die Blume welkt, der Morgen eilet,
Die Sonne sinkt, der Schatten flieht,
Die Welle schmilzt, der Mensch vergeht.

Gleich wie des Grasses neues Blatt,
Der Tat gleich, die begonnen hat,
Und gleich dem Vogel auf der Au,
Dem Tropfen gleich Maientau,
Der Spanne Zeit, der Stunde gleich,
Des Schwanes Singen auf dem Teich:
So, Mensch, bist du: dess Feuer sprüht
Dess Feuer sinkt, bis es ver glüht.
Das Gras ist welk, die Tat begangen,
Der Vogel stumm, der Tau vergangen,
Die Spann' ist kurz, die Stind' nicht lang,
Der Schwan- er stirbt; Der Mensch vergeht!

Singable translation by Ed. Sachs , "Gleich wie der roten Rose Pracht"

a text in English by Simon Wastell (1560-1635) , "The flesh profiteth nothing"

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

by Sir Edward Elgar (1857-1934) , "Gleich wie der roten Rose Pracht", 1892, published 1907, first performed 1897 [voice and piano], from Seven Lieder of Edward Elgar, no. 1, also set in English

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