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[War noch nicht fünfzehn Jahre alt]1, Als ich schon Nönnlein war, Die Mutter wollt' es mit Gewalt, Muß weinen immerdar, Und bin so jung, muß ganz allein Hier stehn im finstern Kämmerlein. Voll Blüten stehn die Bäume all, Die Vögel singen sehr. Es treibt ein frischer Wind manchmal Ein Blütchen zu mir her. Ich leg' es in's Gebetbuch mir, Und steh' nun doppelt traurig hier. Ach! und das Christusbild, das theilt, Das kennt nicht meinen Schmerz. Ach! und kein Gnadenmittel heilt Ein still gebrochnes Herz. Man nennet mich des Himmels Braut, Der hört und gibt nicht einen Laut. Steigt dann der Mond um Mitternacht, Da flüstert's vor dem Haus Am Gitter, ach! so bang und sacht: "Lieb Kindlein, komm' heraus!" Im Schleier hüll' ich tief mich ein Und schluchze laut in meiner Pein.
About the headline (FAQ)
View original text (without footnotes)1 Otto: "War wenig Jahre nur erst alt"; further changes may exist not noted.
Text Authorship:
- by Julius Mosen (1803 - 1867), "Die Nonne" [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 Heinrich, Freiherr von Bach (1835 - 1915), as Heinrich Molbe, "Die Nonne", op. 82 (Vier Balladen für 1 Singstimme ) no. 1 [ voice and piano ], Wien, Wiener Musik-Verlagshaus [sung text not yet checked]
- by Walther von Goethe (1818 - 1885), "Am Gitter" [ voice and piano ], unpublished [sung text not yet checked]
- by Rudolf Hirsch (1816 - 1872), as Soliny, "Die junge Nonne", op. 3 no. 2, published 1841 [ voice and piano ], from Zwei Balladen von J. Mosen, no. 2, Leipzig, Hofmeister [sung text not yet checked]
- by Alfred Kohl (1843 - 1887), "Die Nonne", op. 6 (Fünf Lieder für 1 mittlere Stimme mit Pianoforte) no. 5, published 1887 [ medium voice and piano ], Bremen, Praeger & Meier [sung text not yet checked]
- by Franz Otto (1809 - 1842), "Die Nonne", op. 10 (6 Lieder und Romanzen für Mezzo-Sopran oder Alt) no. 5, published 1832 [ mezzo-soprano or alto and piano ], Leipzig, Breitkopf und Härtel [sung text not yet checked]
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- ENG English (Sharon Krebs) , copyright © 2026, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Researcher for this page: Sharon Krebs [Senior Associate Editor]
This text was added to the website: 2010-10-25
Line count: 24
Word count: 135
[I was not yet fifteen years old]1, When I was already a little nun, My mother wished it forcibly, I must weep evermore, And I am so young, I must stand All alone here in the dark little chamber. All of the trees are full of blossoms, The birds are singing mightily. A brisk wind sometimes blows A little blossom over to me. I place it into my prayer-book, And now I stand here doubly sad. Alas! and the image of Christ, it does not share, Does not know my pain. Alas! and no means of grace can heal A quietly broken heart. They call me the bride of Heaven, [but] [Heaven] neither hears nor responds. When the moon rises at midnight, There is a whispering in front of the building At the grille, ah! so anxiously and gently: "Dear child, come out!" I shroud myself deeply in my veil And sob loudly in my agony.
About the headline (FAQ)
View original text (without footnotes)Translations of titles:
"Am Gitter" = "At the grille"
"Die junge Nonne" = "The young nun"
"Die Nonne" = "The nun"
Text Authorship:
- Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2026 by Sharon Krebs, (re)printed on this website with kind permission. To reprint and distribute this author's work for concert programs, CD booklets, etc., you may ask the copyright-holder(s) directly or ask us; we are authorized to grant permission on their behalf. Please provide the translator's name when contacting us.
Contact: licenses@email.lieder.example.net
Based on:
- a text in German (Deutsch) by Julius Mosen (1803 - 1867), "Die Nonne"
This text was added to the website: 2026-01-19
Line count: 24
Word count: 159