Thou sabbath eve wilt ever be
the sweetest evening of all to me;
thou sabbath eve so full of rest,
thou ev'ning that I love best!

When all the young folks of the village then sing,
with games and laughter their voices ring,
and when they dance on the meadows green,
the time is not long, I ween.

The peasant-folk, the peasant-folk,
throughout all the summer so hard must work,
and when the lads their work all have done,
they long for their holiday fun.

For all of these people, how sad it would be,
if heaven did no holidays for them decree.
These people so poor have no time to play
the whole of the working day.

Thou sabbath eve wilt ever be
the sweetest evening of all to me;
thou sabbath eve so full of rest,
thou ev'ning that I love best!