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Wer sich der Einsamkeit ergibt
A Man who yields to Solitude

Gesänge des Harfners The Harper's Songs

Goethe

A man who yields to solitude
Soon finds himself alone.
Others live and others love
And leave him to his moan.

Yes, leave me to my misery;
And could I just once
Be truly left alone,
Then I’d not be alone.

As a lover softly stalks
His girl to listen – is she alone?
So, whether day or night it be,
I, though quite alone,
Am stalked by pain and misery.

Ah, when I lie lonely
In my grave, only then
Will I be left alone!

Wer nie sein Brot mit Tränen ass
He who never ate his Bread in Tears

Gesänge des Harfners The Harper's Songs

Goethe

He who never ate his bread in tears,
Who never sat through nights of care
Weeping on his bed,
He does not know you, Heaven-sent Powers.

You lead us into this life,
Let the poor fall into debt,
Then abandon them to torment,
For all dues have to be paid here on earth.

An die Türen will ich schleichen
Shuffling from Door to Door

Gesänge des Harfners The Harper's Songs

Goethe

Shuffling from door to door
I’ll stand and wait as it is meet.
Kind hands will pass me things to eat
And I’ll move on in search for more.
Each will feel a happy glow
When they see my face appear
And then I’ll see them shed a tear.
Why they should weep, I’ll never know.