by Robert Burns (1759 - 1796) and by Anne Grant (1755 - 1838)
In vain to this desert my fate I deplore
Language: Scottish (Scots)
Available translation(s): FRE
In vain to this desert my fate I deplore, For dark is the wildwood, and bleak is the shore; The rude blasts I hear, and the white waves I see, But nought that gives shelter or confort to me. O love! Thou hast pleasures, and deep have I lov'd, I love! Thou hast sorrows, and sore Have I prov'd: But this bruised heart that now bleeds in my breast, I can feel, by its throbbing, will soon be at rest. When clos'd are those eyes, that but open to weep, With my woes and my wrongs I shall peacefully sleep; But the thorn my inkindness first plac'd in my heart, Transplanted to thine, shall new anguish impart.
Note: the second verse is by Burns, from The Tear-Drop.
Researcher for this page: Ferdinando Albeggiani
Authorship:
- by Robert Burns (1759 - 1796), "In vain to this desert my fate I deplore" [author's text not yet checked against a primary source]
- by Anne Grant (1755 - 1838), "In vain to this desert my fate I deplore" [author's text not yet checked against a primary source]
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
- by Ludwig van Beethoven (1770 - 1827), "In vain to this desert my fate I deplore", WoO. 152 (25 irische Lieder) no. 17, G. 223 no. 17 (1810/3) [ vocal duet with violin, violoncello, piano ] [sung text checked 1 time]
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- FRE French (Français) (Pierre Mathé) , "Je déplore en vain mon destin dans ce désert", copyright © 2014, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- GER German (Deutsch) [singable] (Georg Pertz) , "Vergebens beklag' ich mein trübes Geschick"
Researcher for this page: Ferdinando Albeggiani
This text was added to the website: 2004-12-11
Line count: 12
Word count: 117