Selige Sehnsucht

Sagt es niemand, nur den Weisen,
Weil die Menge gleich verhöhnet,
Das Lebend'ge will ich preisen,
Das nach Flammentod sich sehnet. 

In der Liebesnächte Kühlung,
Die dich zeugte, wo du zeugtest,
Uberfällt dich fremde Fühlung,
Wenn die stille Kerze leuchtet. 

Nicht mehr bleibest du umfangen
In der Finsternis Beschattung, 
Und dich reißet neu Verlangen
Auf zu höherer Begattung. 

Keine Ferne macht dich schwierig,
Kommst geflogen und gebannt,
Und zuletzt, des Lichts begierig, 
Bist du, Schmetterling, verbrannt. 

Und so lang du das nicht hast,
Dieses: Stirb und werde! 
Bist du nur ein trüber Gast
Auf der dunklen Erde. 

Tut ein Schilf sich doch hervor,
Welten zu versüßen! 
Möge meinem Schreibe-Rohr
Liebliches entfließen!

Authorship

by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749-1832) , "Selige Sehnsucht", 1814, from West-östlicher Diwan, in 1. Buch des Sängers -- Moganni Nameh, published 1816

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

by Friedrich Gulda , "Selige Sehnsucht", 1973. [voice, jazz trio]
by Arnold Mendelssohn (1855-1933) , "Selige Sehnsucht", published 1910.
by Ernst Pepping (1901-1981) , "Selige Sehnsucht", 1946, published 1949, stanzas 1-5 [voice and piano], from Haus- und Trostbuch, no. 12.
by Wilhelm Petersen (1890-1957) , "Selige Sehnsucht", op. 40 (Goethe-Lieder) no. 9, published 1941.
by Hermann Reutter (1900-1985) , "Selige Sehnsucht", op. 73 (Sechs Gedichte aus der "westöstliche Divan") no. 1 (1951). [duet]
by Wolfgang Michael Rihm (1952-) , "Selige Sehnsucht", 2004-7, first performed 2007 [baritone and piano], from Goethe-Lieder, no. 6.
by Othmar Schoeck (1886-1957) , "Selige Sehnsucht", op. 19b no. 6 (1911).
by Karl Friedrich Zelter (1758-1832) , "Selige Sehnsucht", 1820, from Liedertafel

ENG English (Emily Ezust) , "Blissful yearning", copyright ©

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

Notes about green, red, and white dots

Gentle Reminder

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Blissful yearning

 Tell this to no one but the wise,
 for the masses will just ridicule it:
 I would praise the living thing
 that yearns for death in the flames.
 
 In the cool hush of nights of love,
 when you conceive as you were conceived,
 a strange feeling overcomes you
 when the quiet candle gleams.
 
 No longer do you remain captive
 in the darkness of these shadows;
 and a new desire rips you 
 toward a loftier intercourse.
 
 No distance can make you heavy:
 you come flying and spellbound,
 and at last, eager for the light,
 poor moth, you are burned to death.
 
 And so long as you have not attained it,
 this, "Die and become!",
 you will only be a gloomy guest
 on this dark earth.
 
 Pick up a pipe for yourself
 to make the world a little sweeter!
 May it lovingly chase away 
 my writing-pipe!

Authorship

Translation from German to English copyright © by Emily Ezust,

a text in German by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749-1832) , "Selige Sehnsucht", 1814, from West-östlicher Diwan, in 1. Buch des Sängers -- Moganni Nameh, published 1816

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