Du wirst im Eh'stand viel erfahren

Du wirst im Eh'stand viel erfahren,
was dir ein halbes Rätsel war;
bald wirst du aus Erfahrung wissen,
wie Eva einst hat handeln müssen,
daß sie hernach den Kain gebar.
 
Doch, Schwester, diese Eh'standspflichten
wirst du von Herzen gern verrichten,
denn glaube mir, sie sind nicht schwer.
Doch jede Sache hat zwo Seiten:
Der Eh'stand bringt zwar viele Freuden,
allein auch Kummer bringet er.
 
Drum, wenn dein Mann dir finstre Mienen,
die du nicht glaubest zu verdienen,
in seiner übeln Laune macht,
so denke, das ist Männergrille,
und sag: "Herr, es gescheh' dein Wille
bei Tag, und meiner in der Nacht."

Translation(s): ENG

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Authorship

• by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756 - 1791) [ 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 Gary Bachlund , "Kleiner Rat", 2013. [baritone or bass and piano] [ sung text verified 1 time]
• by Felix Wolfes (1892 - 1971), "Kleiner Rat (an seine Schwester Nannerl)", 1961. [ sung text verified 1 time]

Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):

• ENG English [singable] (Walter A. Aue) , "A bit of advice", copyright © 2008, (re)printed on this website with kind permission

Text added to the website: 2008-06-01.
Last modified: 2014-06-16 10:02:28
Line count: 17
Word count: 101

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A bit of advice

You shall find out, when you are married,
what puzzles did to you remain;
soon for yourself you shall discover
how Eve had once to treat her lover
that later she gave birth to Cain.

This, Sister, 'wedding obligation'
you'll entertain with much elation
for, trust me, it's an easy thing.
Though double-sided is such action:
the married state brings satisfaction
but also sorrows does it bring.

Thus, when your husband acts capricious
(though you stayed sweet and non-suspicious)
and barks bad tempered, as he might,
consider him a male bombaster
and say: Your will be done, oh master -
during the day - and mine at night.

IMPORTANT NOTE: The material directly above is protected by copyright and appears here by special permission. If you wish to copy it and distribute it, you must obtain permission or you will be breaking the law. Once you have permission, you must give credit to the author and display the copyright symbol ©. Copyright infringement is a criminal offense under international law.

Authorship

• Singable translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2008 by Walter A. Aue, (re)printed on this website with kind permission. To reprint and distribute this author's work for concert programs, CD booklets, etc., you must ask the copyright-holder(s) directly for permission. If you receive no response, you must consider it a refusal.
  
  Walter A. Aue. Contact:
  <waue (AT) dal (DOT) ca>
  
  
  If you wish to commission a new translation, please contact:
  
  (licenses at lieder dot net)
  
  
  
  

• a text in German (Deutsch) by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756 - 1791)
• This text was set to music by the following composer(s): Gary Bachlund, Felix Wolfes. Go to the text.

Text added to the website: 2008-06-01.
Last modified: 2014-06-16 10:02:43
Line count: 17
Word count: 108