I, a poor young nun!

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by Justinus (Andreas Christian) Kerner (1786 - 1862)

Translation © by Sharon Krebs

Ich armes Klosterfräulein!

Language: German (Deutsch)

Our translations: CAT DUT ENG ENG FRE ITA POR

Ich armes Klosterfräulein!
O Mutter! was hast du gemacht!
Lenz ging am Gitter vorüber,
Hat mir kein Blümlein gebracht.

Ach, wie weit, weit dort unten
Zwei Schäflein gehen im Tal!
Viel Glück, ihr Schäflein, ihr sahet
Den Frühling zum erstenmal!

Ach, wie weit, weit dort oben
Zwei Vöglein fliegen in Ruh'!
Viel Glück, ihr Vöglein, ihr flieget
Der besseren Heimat zu!

Available sung texts: (what is this?)

• J. Brahms • R. Kursch • R. Leberl • M. Winkler

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Confirmed with Justinus Kerners sämtliche poetische Werke in vier Bänden, herausgegeben von Dr. Josef Gaismaier, 1. Band, Leipzig: Max Hesses Verlag, 1880, page 156.

Text Authorship:

by Justinus (Andreas Christian) Kerner (1786 - 1862), "Klosterfräulein", appears in Gedichte, in Die lyrischen Gedichte, first published 1807 [author's text checked 1 time against a primary source]

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Researcher for this page: Sharon Krebs [Senior Associate Editor]

This text was added to the website: 2003-10-13
Line count: 12
Word count: 70

I, a poor young nun!

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Language: English after the German (Deutsch)

I, a poor young nun!
Oh mother! what have you done!
Spring passed by the latticework,
Brought me not a single floweret.

Ah, how far, far down below there
Two lambs amble in the valley!
Godspeed, ye lambs, you saw
Spring for the first time!

Ah, how far, far above there
Two birdlets are flying peacefully!
Godspeed, ye birdlets, you are flying
Toward the better homeland!

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Translations of title(s):
"Das Klosterfraeulein" = "The young nun"
"Das Klosterfräulein" = "The young nun"
"Ich armes Klosterfräulein" = "I, a poor young nun"
"Klosterfräulein" = "Young nun"

Text Authorship:

Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2021 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.
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Based on:

a text in German (Deutsch) by Justinus (Andreas Christian) Kerner (1786 - 1862), "Klosterfräulein", appears in Gedichte, in Die lyrischen Gedichte, first published 1807
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This text was added to the website: 2021-09-04
Line count: 12
Word count: 74