Leb wohl [Farewell]
Farewell, you bold,
wonderful child!
You, my heart’s
holiest pride.
Farewell, farewell, farewell!
If I must reject you
and may not lovingly
greet you again with my greeting,
if you may no longer
ride beside me,
or bring me mead at table;
if I must lose
you whom I loved
you, laughing joy of my eyes:
then a bridal fire
shall burn for you,
as it never burned for any bride!
A blaze of flame
shall burn round the rock;
with devouring terror
let it scare the fainthearted;
let cowards run away
from Brünnhilde’s rock!
For only one shall win the bride,
one freer than I, the God!
That bright pair of eyes
that often I fondled with smiles,
when lust of battle
won you a kiss,
when childlike chatter
in praise of heroes
flowed from your dear lips:
that radiant pair of eyes
that often in tempests blazed at me,
when hopeful yearning
burned up my heart,
when for worldly joy
my desires longed
amid wild weaving fear:
for the last time
let them delight me today
with farewell’s
last kiss!
May their star shine
for that happier man:
for the lickless immortal
they must close in parting.
For thus the God
departs from you,
thus he kisses your godhead away!
