| Margarete Münsterberg, ed., trans. A Harvest of German Verse. 1916. | | | | Gretchen | | By Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749–1832) |
| | | INCLINE thou, | |
| O mother of sorrow, | |
| Thy gracious face upon my need! | |
| |
| A sword unsparing | |
| Thy heart is tearing. | 5 |
| Thou seest how thine own Son must bleed. | |
| |
| With eyes imploring, | |
| Thy sighs outpouring, | |
| Thou prayest for His and thy great need. | |
| |
| Who feeleth | 10 |
| How stealeth | |
| My pain through every bone? | |
| How my poor, poor heart is quaking, | |
| How with longing it is aching, | |
| Thou canst know alone, alone! | 15 |
| |
| Wherever I am turning, | |
| With what a sore, sore burning | |
| My bosom ever aches! | |
| When I am left alone now, | |
| I weep and weep and moan now, | 20 |
| My heart within me breaks. | |
| |
| The plants before my window | |
| I watered with tears—oh, see!— | |
| When in the early morning | |
| I broke these flowers for thee. | 25 |
| |
| Yes, when the sun was shining | |
| In at my room to-day, | |
| In bed I sat up pining | |
| So early, in dismay. | |
| |
| Help! Rescue me from death—disgrace! | 30 |
| Incline thou, | |
| Oh, mother of sorrow, | |
| Upon my need thy gracious face! | | | | |
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