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Schlaf wohl, du Himmelsknabe du,
Schlaf wohl, du süßes Kind!
Dich fächeln Engelein in Ruh
Mit sanftem Himmelswind.
Wir arme Hirten singen dir
Ein [herzigs]1 Wiegenliedlein für.
Schlafe!
[Himmelssöhnchen]2, schlafe!
Maria hat mit [Mutterblick]3
Dich leise zugedeckt;
Und Joseph hält den Hauch zurück,
Daß er dich nicht [erweckt]4.
Die Schäflein, die im Stalle sind,
Verstummen vor dir Himmelskind.
Schlafe!
Himmelssöhnchen, schlafe!
[Bald]5 wirst du groß, dann fließt dein Blut
Von Golgatha herab;
Ans Kreuz schlägt dich der Menschen Wuth,
Dann legt man dich ins Grab.
Hab immer deine Äuglein zu,
Denn du bedarfst der süßen Ruh.
Schlafe!
Himmelssöhnchen, schlafe!
So schlummert in der Mutter Schoos
Noch manches Kindlein ein;
Doch wird das arme Kindlein groß,
So hat es Angst und Pein.
O Jesulein! durch deine Huld,
Hilfs ihnen tragen mit Geduld.
Schlafe!
Himmelssöhnchen, schlafe!
C. Loewe sets stanzas 1-2
R. Strauss sets stanza 1
Anonymous sets stanzas 1-3
About the headline (FAQ)
View original text (without footnotes)Note: this poem is found in Schubart's writings but marked as a "Geistliches Volkslied aus Schlesien", which may mean it is a folk text.
1 Loewe: "herzlich" ; K. W.: "herzig"2 Loewe: "Himmelskindlein"
3 Loewe, K.W.: "Mutterlieb' "
4 K. W.: "weckt"
5 K. W.: "Und"
Text Authorship:
- possibly by Christian Friedrich Daniel Schubart (1739 - 1791), "Der Hirten Lied am Kripplein", subtitle: "Geistliches Volkslied aus Schlesien" [author's text checked 1 time 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 Anonymous/Unidentified Artist , as K. W., "Wiegenlied zu Weihnachten", stanzas 1-3 [ voice and piano ] [sung text checked 1 time]
- by Carl Loewe (1796 - 1869), "Der Hirten Lied am Krippelein", op. 22, Heft 1 no. 3 (1828), stanzas 1-2 [ vocal quartet ] [sung text checked 1 time]
- by Christian Friedrich Daniel Schubart (1739 - 1791), "Weihnachtslied der Hirten", 1786 [sung text not yet checked]
- by Richard Georg Strauss (1864 - 1949), "Weihnachtslied", WoO. 2 (1870), stanza 1 [ voice, piano ], from Jugendlieder [sung text checked 1 time]
- by Severin Wagner , "Der Hirten Lied am Kripplein", op. 9 (Drei dreistimmige Weihnachtslieder für die Schulfeier) no. 1, published 1900 [ three-part chorus ], Colmar, Wettig [sung text not yet checked]
- by Benedikt Widmann (1820 - 1910), "Lied am Kripplein", op. 18 (Vier Weihnachtslieder für 1 Singstimme mit leichter Selbstbegleitung auf dem Pianofortebleitung) no. 3, published 1886 [ voice and piano ], Frankfurt a/M., Steyl & Thomas [sung text not yet checked]
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- CAT Catalan (Català) (Salvador Pila) , copyright © 2020, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- ENG English (Emily Ezust) , "Sleep well, you child of heaven", copyright ©
- FRE French (Français) (Guy Laffaille) , copyright © 2014, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 32
Word count: 141
Sleep well, you child of heaven, sleep well, you sweet child; little angels fan you calmly with the gentle breeze of Heaven. We poor shepherds sing for you a little heartfelt lullaby; sleep, little child of heaven, sleep. Mary has, with a mother's love, covered you gently and Joseph [almost] holds his breath so as not to awaken you. The lambs that are in the stalls are silent before you, child of heaven; sleep, sleep, little son of heaven, sleep.
Text Authorship:
- Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © by Emily Ezust
Emily Ezust permits her translations to be reproduced without prior permission for printed (not online) programs to free-admission concerts only, provided the following credit is given:
Translation copyright © by Emily Ezust,
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Based on:
- a text in German (Deutsch) possibly by Christian Friedrich Daniel Schubart (1739 - 1791)
This text was added to the website: 2006-02-06
Line count: 14
Word count: 80