The couple | A lad comes a-walking

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by Christian Reinhold (1813 - 1856)

Translation © by Sharon Krebs

Das Paar

Language: German (Deutsch)

Our translations: ENG

  Kommt ein Bursch gegangen,
Sieht ein Mädchen stehn.
Und er ist gefangen,
Kann nicht weiter gehn.

   Und ihr stockt der Odem,
Die noch kaum so froh,
Senkt den Blick zu Boden, --
Was erschreckt sie so?

   Kinder, welch ein Zagen!
Niemand kann euch sehn.
Selbst die Lüfte fragen,
Ob sie dürfen wehn?

   Auch die Vögel warten,
Was sich hier begibt?
Ahnend rings der Garten
Sinnt, ob ihr euch liebt?

   Nur ein Hauch darf beben,
Blitzen nur ein Blick,
Und die Engel weben
Fertig ein Geschick.

Confirmed with C. Reinhold, Gedichte, Stuttgart: Carl Mäcken, 1853, pages 136-137.

Text Authorship:

by Christian Reinhold (1813 - 1856), "Das Paar", written 1841, appears in Gedichte, in Lebensbilder, Romanzen und Balladen, first published 1853 [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 Johannes Schondorf (1833 - 1912), "Das Paar", published 1892 [ mixed chorus ], Güstrow: Schondorf [sung text not yet checked]
by Friedrich Wilhelm Trautner (1855 - 1932), "Das Paar", op. 8 [ voice and piano ], Berlin: Kunz [sung text not yet checked]

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

ENG English (Sharon Krebs) , "The couple", copyright © 2021, (re)printed on this website with kind permission

Researcher for this page: Sharon Krebs [Guest Editor]

This text was added to the website: 2021-04-25
Line count: 20
Word count: 85

The couple

Language: English after the German (Deutsch)

  A lad comes a-walking,
Sees a maiden standing there.
And he is captivated,
Cannot walk on further.

  And her breathing falters,
She who was just so happy,
She casts her eyes down, --
What has startled her so?

  Children, what a hesitation!
No one can see you.
Even the breezes are asking
If they are permitted to waft?

  And birds are waiting
To see what is taking place here?
In premonition, the garden all around 
Is pondering if you love one another?

  Only a breath of air may tremble,
Only a glance may sparkle,
And the angels complete
The weaving of a destiny.

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.
Contact: licenses@email.lieder.example.net

Based on:

a text in German (Deutsch) by Christian Reinhold (1813 - 1856), "Das Paar", written 1841, appears in Gedichte, in Lebensbilder, Romanzen und Balladen, first published 1853
- Go to the text page.

This text was added to the website: 2021-04-25
Line count: 20
Word count: 103