That is the custom of a mother's eye | That is the custom of a mother's eye

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by Friedrich Heinrich Oser (1820 - 1891)

Translation © by Sharon Krebs

Das ist des Mutterauges Brauch

Language: German (Deutsch)

Our translations: ENG

Das ist des Mutterauges Brauch,
Zu lächeln froh im Weinen auch; 
Denn, gilt's des Kindes Glück und Heil, 
Ist alles Weh verschmerzt in Eil. 

Ja Muttertreu' ist immer gleich, 
Und Mutterliebe wunderreich; 
Und Muttersorge nimmt kein End, 
Bis daß sich Leib und Seele trennt. 

Das ist des Mutterauges Brauch, 
Zu lächeln froh im Weinen auch; 
Nur Gottes Huld und Lieb' allein 
Mag tiefer noch und größer sein.

Confirmed with Liederbuch von Friedrich Oser, 1842-1874. Mit einem biographischen Verzeichnis der Componisten, Basel: Benno Schwabe, Verlagsbuchhandlung, 1875, pages 241-242.

Text Authorship:

by Friedrich Heinrich Oser (1820 - 1891), "Das ist des Mutterauges Brauch", appears in Liederbuch, in 3. Hauslieder, no. 271 [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 Richard Müller (1830 - 1905), "Das ist des Mutterauges Brauch", op. 29 (Fünf Lieder für gemischten Chor) no. 1, published 1875 [ satb chorus ], Leipzig: Siegel [sung text not yet checked]
by Philipp Tietz (1816 - 1878) [sung text not yet checked]

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

ENG English (Sharon Krebs) , "That is the custom of a mother's eye", 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: 2026-02-06
Line count: 12
Word count: 67

That is the custom of a mother's eye

Language: English after the German (Deutsch)

That is the custom of a mother's eye,
To smile happily even while weeping;
For if it concerns her child's happiness and welfare,
All pain is quickly gotten over.

Yes, a mother's faithfulness is ever the same,
And a mother's love is wondrously bountiful;
And a mother's care never ends
Until body and soul are separated.

That is the custom of a mother's eye,
To smile happily even while weeping;
Only the benevolence and love of God
Can be deeper yet and greater.

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 Friedrich Heinrich Oser (1820 - 1891), "Das ist des Mutterauges Brauch", appears in Liederbuch, in 3. Hauslieder, no. 271
- Go to the text page.

This text was added to the website: 2026-06-14
Line count: 12
Word count: 83