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Edition notes: Clefs modernised. Time signature regularised to 3/2. Musica ficta in source absorbed into staves. Second instrumental part is marked Violino, but is too low in parts for a modern violin, so the clef has been changed from mezzo soprano C-clef to Alto clef (for viola). Source may be found at IMSLP.
General Information
Title: Nachdem ich lag in meinem öden Bette, SWV 451 Composer:Heinrich Schütz Lyricist:
1 Nachdem ich lag in meinem öden Bette,
ich sucht mein edles Licht,
ob ich den Liebsten bei mir hätte,
ich fand ihn aber nicht,
mich zwang die Brunst, das Lager zu verlassen,
ich laufe was ich kann,
hin durch die Stadt, such um auf allen Gassen,
und treff ihn doch nicht an.
2 Ich fragte drauf die Wächter aus Verlangen:
Wisst ihr mein Leben nicht?
Und als ich war ein wenig fortgegangen,
da fand ich erst mein Licht,
ich griff ihn an, begierig ihn zu zwingen,
zu meiner Mutter hin,
ich musst ihn doch bis in ihr Haus heimbringen,
und in die Kammer ziehn.
3 So grosse Lust ihr habt zun Reheböcken,
ihr Töchter Solyme,
so wenig sollt ihr meinen Liebsten wecken,
bis dass er selbst aufsteh;
wer ist sie doch, die ihre Schönheit zeiget,
kömmt aus der Wüstenei,
wie Rauch empor von theuren Myrrhen steiget
und vieler Specerei.
English text
Upon my bed by night after him I yearned,
for whom my spirit longs,
But I found him not, though wanted him to come.
I rose and left I my bed.
I rose and went forth throughout the city streets,
wherein my love might be
but found him not though earnestly I sought him
in the broad ways down town.
The watchmen found me. Had they, I asked, seen him,
for whom my spirit longs.
A little while after by them had I passed
my lost soul found my love.
I held him tight, for I would not let him go,
And brought him to my home
Into the chamber of her who conceived me
I led him whom I love.
I charge you, O daughters of Jerusalem
by the roes of the fields
that you stir him not up, nor awaken him
Until it pleases him.
Who now is this, who comes from the wilderness
with great pillars of smoke
Is she not perfumed with all the world’s spices,
with frankincense and myrrh.
The German text is quite a free paraphrase of the Song 3:1-6. I have therefore also been quite free in my paraphrase of the German, moving it closer to the original text. I have left the translation request here in the hope that someone else will produce a more accurate translation of the German text that Schütz has used. Stuartm (talk) 20:25, 8 March 2022 (UTC)
German text
English text