by Karl Joseph Simrock (1802 - 1876) and sometimes misattributed to Ludwig Wilhelm Friedrich Seeger (1810 - 1864)
Translation © by Sharon Krebs

Guten Morgen, 's ist Sankt Valentinstag
Language: German (Deutsch)  after the English 
Our translations:  DUT ENG FRE
Guten Morgen, 's ist Sankt Valentinstag,
  So früh vor Sonnenschein
Ich junge Maid am Fensterschlag
  Will euer Valentin sein.
 
Der junge Mann thät Hosen an,
  That auf die Kammerthür,
Ließ ein die Maid, die als 'ne Maid
  Ging nimmermehr herfür.
 
Bei Sanct Niklas und Charitas!
  Ein unverschämt Geschlecht!
Ein junger Mann thut's, wenn er kann,
  Fürwahr, das ist nicht recht.
 
Sie sprach: Eh' ihr gescherzt mit mir,
  Verspracht ihr mich zu frei'n.
 
Ich bräch's auch nicht, bei'm Sonnenlicht,
  Wär'st du nicht kommen herein.

Available sung texts: (what is this?)

•   R. Strauss 

About the headline (FAQ)

View text with all available footnotes

Confirmed with Hamlet, Prinz von Dänemark, übersetzt von Karl Simrock, in: William Shakspear’s[sic] sämmtliche dramatische Werke in neuen Uebersetzungen, Leipzig: Georg Wigand’s Verlag, [no year], page 686

Note: according to The Cambridge Companion to Richard Strauss, ed. by Charles Youmans, Seeger is listed as the translator of Hamlet, but Seeger's translations are quite different. Simrock and Seeger are listed together as the translators for the ten-volume set.

Note (provided by Sharon Krebs): Ophelia’s song is interrupted at several points by various other characters and herself. Those interruptions have not been included above.


Text Authorship:

Based on:

Go to the general view


Research team for this page: Emily Ezust [Administrator] , Sharon Krebs [Senior Associate Editor]

This text was added to the website: 2003-11-26
Line count: 16
Word count: 87

Good morning, it's Valentine's Day
NOTE: the footnotes have been removed from this text; return to general view
Language: English  after the German (Deutsch) 
Good morning, it's Valentine's Day,
  So long before sunshine
I, a young maid at the window,
  Wish to be your valentine.
 
The young man on some trousers,
  Opened up the door to his chamber,
Let the maiden in, who as a maiden
  Nevermore came forth.
 
By Saint Nicholas and Charity!
  A shameless sex!
A young man does it whenever he can,
  Truly, that is not right.
 
She said: Before you jested with me,
  You promised to wed me.
 
By the sunlight, I would not break my word
  If you had not come in to me.

About the headline (FAQ)

View text with all available footnotes
Translation of title "Zweites Lied der Ophelia" = "Second song of Ophelia"

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2016 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: 

Based on:

Based on:

Go to the general view


This text was added to the website: 2016-11-25
Line count: 16
Word count: 96