English translations of Zwei Lieder, opus 64

by James Rothstein (b. 1871)

1. Sie saßen und tranken am Teetisch  [sung text not yet checked]
by James Rothstein (b. 1871), "Sie saßen und tranken am Teetisch", op. 64 (Zwei Lieder) no. 1
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Sie saßen und tranken am Teetisch
Und sprachen von Liebe viel.
Die Herren, die waren ästhetisch,
Die Damen von zartem Gefühl.

Die Liebe muß sein platonisch,
Der dürre Hofrat sprach.
Die Hofrätin lächelt ironisch,
und dennoch seufzte sie: Ach!

Der Domherr öffnet den Mund weit:
Die Liebe sei nicht zu roh,
Sie schadet sonst der Gesundheit
Das Fräulein lispelt: Wie so?

Die Gräfin spricht wehmütig:
Die Liebe ist ein Passion!
Und präsentieret gütig
Die Tasse dem Herrn Baron.

Am Tische war noch ein Plätzchen,
Mein Liebchen, da hast du gefehlt.
Du hättest so hübsch, mein Schätzchen,
Von deiner Liebe erzählt.

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Confirmed with Heinrich Heine, Buch der Lieder, Hoffmann und Campe, Hamburg, 1827, page 154.


by Heinrich Heine (1797 - 1856)
1. They sat and sipped at the tea table
Language: English 
They sat and sipped at the tea table
And talked a lot about love.
The gentlemen, they were aesthetes,
The ladies full of tender emotions.

“Love must be platonic”,
The wizened councillor said.
His wife smiles ironically,
And still she sighed: “Ah!”

The canon opens his mouth wide:
“Love should not be too coarse,
Otherwise, it is harmful to your health.”
The young lady lisps: “How so?”

The countess speaks wistfully:
“Love is a passion!”
And graciously presents
The teacup to the baron.

There was still a place at the table
My darling, you were missing.
You would have been so charming, my darling,
As you talked of your love.

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2023 by Iain Sneddon, (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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Translations of title(s):
"Am Teetisch" = "At the tea table"
"Am Theethisch" = "At the tea table"
"Sie saßen und tranken" = "They sat and sipped"
"Sie saßen und tranken am Teetisch" = "They sat and sipped at the tea table"
"Von der Liebe am Teetisch" = "Of Love at the tea table"



This text was added to the website: 2023-01-02
Line count: 20
Word count: 110

Translation © by Iain Sneddon