Gottfried von Strassburg is the author of the Middle High German courtly romance Tristan, an adaptation of the 12th-century Tristan and Iseult legend. Gottfried's work is regarded, alongside the Nibelungenlied and Wolfram von Eschenbach's Parzival, as one of the great narrative masterpieces of the German Middle Ages. He is probably also the composer of a small number of surviving lyrics. His work became a source of inspiration for Richard Wagner's opera Tristan und Isolde . Wikipedia
“A worthy man is bound to suffer malice and envy: a man grows in worth so long as he is envied.”
Hazzen unde nîden
daz muoz der biderbe lîden.
der man der werdet al die vrist,
die wîle und er geniten ist.
Source: Tristan, Line 8395
“What a wretched sort of deception, when a man so lies to his friends that he dupes himself.”
Ez ist ein armer trügesite,
der vriunden alsô liuget,
daz er sich selben triuget.
Source: Tristan, Line 12308
“People and nations could live in grace
but for two little words, "mine" and "yours."”
Liut unde lant diu möhten mit genâden sîn
wan zwei vil kleiniu wortelîn "min" unde "din".
"Liut unde lant diu möhten mit genâden sîn", line 1. Text and translation from Frederick Goldin (trans.) German and Italian Lyrics of the Middle Ages (New York: Anchor Books, 1973) pp. 142–143.
“Alas for the sight where, after dire grief, one sees a sadder sight with grief more dire!”
Owe der ougenweide
da man nach leidem leide
mit leiderem leide
siht leider ougenweide!
Source: Tristan, Line 1751
“He that never had sorrow of love never had joy of it either!”
Swem nie von liebe leit geschach,
dem geschach ouch liep von liebe nie.
Source: Tristan, Line 204
“Isolde my mistress, Isolde my beloved, in you my life, in you my death!”
Isot ma drüe, Isot m'amie
En vus ma mort, en vus ma vie.
Source: Tristan, Line 19409; these lines in Old French are presumably quoted from one of the lost sections of Thomas of Britain's Tristan.
Liebe ist ein also saelic dinc,
ein also saeleclich gerinc,
daz nieman ane ir lere
noch tugende hat noch ere.
Source: Tristan, Line 187
“If one cannot overlook a hurt, many hurts will grow from it. It is a fatal style of living.”
Swer keinen schaden vertragen kan,
dâ wahsent dicke schaden an.
und ist ein veiclîcher site.
Source: Tristan, Line 281
Ine weiz, wie jener werden sol;
dirre tôt der tuot mir wol.
solte diu wunneclîche Isôt
iemer alsus sî mîn tôt,
sô wolte ich gerne werben
umbe ein êweclîchez sterben.
Source: Tristan, Line 12497
