Franz Schubert

Der Atlas

Franz Schubert
English translation icon 3 translations icon 3
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Album:
Schwanengesang
Original lyrics
German
Translation
English

Der Atlas

Ich unglücksel’ger Atlas! eine Welt,
Die ganze Welt der Schmerzen muss ich tragen.
Ich trage Unerträgliches, und brechen
Will mir das Herz im Leibe.
 
Du stolzes Herz, du hast es ja gewollt!
Du wolltest glücklich sein, unendlich glücklich,
Oder unendlich elend, stolzes Herz,
Und jetzo bist du elend.
 

Atlas

Behold, and pity Atlas! This my world -
A world of mortal pain set on my shoulders.
I bear a load unbearable; my burdened
Heart wants to break inside me.
 
O heart so proud, you got just what you wished!
You wished for happiness, for joy unending -
That or unending sorrow, heart so proud!
And that is why you're wretched.
 
expand collapse Translation details
This is a poetic translation - deviations from the meaning of the original are present (extra words, extra or omitted information, substituted concepts).
Paul Lawley Paul Lawley
submitted on 9 Feb 2022 - 00:44
Give a shoutout to Paul Lawley
Author's comments:

Line 2: in Schubert's setting this line is repeated in abbreviated form: 'Die ganze Welt muss Ich tragen'. In this version: 'A world of pain on my shoulders'.

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Translations

Franz Schubert TOP 3