Wer blickte jemals ohne heimlich Zagen

Wer blickte jemals ohne heimlich Zagen
Wohl in die Augen dieser holden Kleinen,
Die so mir zugesetzt, daß fast ich meinen
Tod nur erwarte, der so schwer zu tragen.

O seht, wie hart mich das Geschick geschlagen,
Das unter allen auserkor mich einen
Als Warnung: die Gefahr verschont ja keinen,
Der glaubt, er könnte einen Blick wohl wagen.

Mir war’s vorausbestimmt, also zu enden:
Nur einer sollte untergehn von allen,
Die andern retten aus des Schicksals Krallen.

Drum ließ ich Armer mir es gern gefallen,
Des Lebens Gegenteil auf mich zu wenden,
Wie Sterne ihren Glanz den Perlen senden.

Collection: 
German
Translator Simple: 
Albert Ritter (Karl Förster, Karl Ludwig Kannegießer)
1922
Dante Alighieri

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