Has sorrow thy young days shaded? (Michael William Balfe)

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• (Posted 2024-01-19)  CPDL #78804:     

Editor: David Anderson (submitted 2024-01-19).   Score information: Letter, 16 pages, 695 kB   Copyright: Personal

Edition notes:

General Information

Title: Has sorrow thy young days shaded?
Composer: Anonymous (Traditional)
Arranger: Michael William Balfe
Lyricist: Thomas Moore
Number of voices: 4vv   Voicing: SATB
Genre: Secular, Partsong, Folksong

Language: English
Instruments: Piano

First published: 1859 J. Alfred Novello
Description: AIR: SLY PATRICK

Original text and translations

English text

Has sorrow thy young days shaded,
As clouds o’er the morning fleet?
Too fast have those young days faded
That, even in sorrow, were sweet?
Does Time with his cold wing wither
Each feeling that once was dear? —
Then, child of misfortune, come hither,
I’ll weep with thee, tear for tear.

Has love to that soul, so tender,
Been like our Lagenian mine,
Where sparkles of golden splendour
All over the surface shine? —
But, if in pursuit we go deeper,
Allured by the gleam that shone,
Ah! false as the dream of the sleeper,
Like Love, the bright ore is gone.

Has Hope, like the bird in the story,*
That flitted from tree to tree
With the talisman’s glittering glory —
Has Hope been that bird to thee?
On branch after branch alighting,
The gem did she still display,
And, when nearest, and most inviting,
Then waft the fair gem away?

If thus the young hours have fleeted,
When sorrow itself look’d bright;
If thus the fair hope hath cheated,
That led thee along so light;
If thus the cold world now wither
Each feeling that once was dear —
Come, child of misfortune, come hither,
I’ll weep with thee, tear for tear.