This cycle of 4 songs is set to various Bible texts from the Old and New Testaments. Brahms wrote the piece in 1896, the same year his close friend and possible lover Clara Schumann suffered a stroke. It is speculated that the cycle, characterized by texts about death and the transience of life, was written in anticipation of his friend?s imminent passing. Despite the connection to Clara, the cycle was actually dedicated to Max Klinger, a German artist who used Brahms?s music as inspiration. This set of songs was Brahms?s last.
Ich wandte mich und sahe an
I looked around myself and looked at
Alle, die Unrecht leiden unter der Sonne;
All things, the injustice suffered under the sun;
Und siehe, da waren Tränen derer,
And behold, there were the tears of those,
Die Unrecht litten und hatten keinen Tröster;
That injustice suffered and they had no comforter;
Und die ihnen Unrecht täten, waren zu mächtig,
And they that upon them injustice worked, were too powerful,
Daß sie keinen Tröster haben konnten.
That they no comforter have could.
Da lobte ich die Toten,
Therefore praised I the dead,
Die schon gestorben waren
They that already died
Mehr als die Lebendigen,
Had much more than the living,
Die noch das Leben hatten;
Who still the life had;
Und der noch nicht ist, ist besser, als alle beide,
And he that yet not is, is better, than both of them.
Und des Bösen nicht inne wird,
And of the evil has not seen,
Das unter der Sonne geschieht.
That under the sun happens.