English translations of Drei Lieder für 1 Singstimme mit Pianoforte, opus 9

by Ernst Ludwig (1852 - 1925)

1. Schlafe mein Herz, schlaf ein  [sung text not yet checked]
by Ernst Ludwig (1852 - 1925), "Schlafe mein Herz, schlaf ein", op. 9 no. 1, published 1885 [ voice and piano ], Reichenberg, Schöpfer
Language: German (Deutsch) 
[Gute Nacht mein Herz]1 und schlummre ein!
In diesen Herbstestagen
Ohne [Blumen und Sonnenschein]2
Was willst du schlagen?

Dein Schmerz ist aus, deine Lust ist tot,
Verweht [sind Lenz und]3 Lieder;
Der Liebe Röslein purpurroth
Blüht nimmer wieder.

Singend zog er [ins]4 Land hinein,
Der falsche, liebe Knabe --
Und du? - [Im stillen Grabe]5
Schlafe mein Herz, schlaf' ein!

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Confirmed with Emanuel Geibels Gesammelte Werke in acht Bänden, Erster Band, Jugendgedichte. Zeitstimmen. Sonette, Dritte Auflage, Stuttgart: Verlag der J.G. Cotta'schen Buchhandlung Nachfolger, 1893, page 69.

1 Goldschmidt: "Gut Nacht, gut Nacht, mein Herz"; Courvoisier: "Gute Nacht, mein Herz, gute Nacht"; Hecht, Pohlig, Sturm: "Gut' Nacht, mein Herz"
2 Esser: "Blumen, ohne Sonnenschein"; Schnorr von Carolsfeld: "Blumen und ohne Sonnenschein"
3 Andersson: "ist Lenz, verweht sind"
4 Andersson: "in das"
5 Bolko von Hochberg: "In deinem Grabe"

by Emanuel Geibel (1815 - 1884)
1. Go to sleep, my heart, go to sleep
Language: English 
Good night, my heart, and go to sleep!
In these autumn days;
Without flowers and sunshine,
Why should you wish to beat?

Your pain is over, your joy is dead,
Springtime and songs have dissipated;
The little crimson rose of love
Shall never bloom again.

Singing, he travelled off into the countryside,
The false, dear lad --
And you? - In the quiet grave
Go to sleep, my heart, go to sleep!

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2022 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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Translations of title(s):
"Gute Nacht" = "Good night"
"Gute Nacht, mein Herz" = "Good night, my heart"
"Gute Nacht mein Herz und schlummre ein" = "Good night, my heart, and go to sleep"
"Gut' Nacht mein Herz" = "Good night, my heart"
"Gut' Nacht, mein Herz und schlummre ein" = "Good night, my heart, and go to sleep"
"Herbstgefühl" = "Autumnal feeling"
"Mädchenlied" = "Maiden's song"
"Mädchenlieder. III" = "Maidens' songs III"
"Schlafe mein Herz, schlaf ein" = "Go to sleep, my heart, go to sleep"
"Zur Nacht" = "At night"


This text was added to the website: 2022-04-13
Line count: 12
Word count: 72

Translation © by Sharon Krebs
2. Agnes  [sung text not yet checked]
by Ernst Ludwig (1852 - 1925), "Agnes", op. 9 no. 2, published 1885 [ voice and piano ], Reichenberg, Schöpfer
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Rosenzeit! wie [schnell]1 vorbei,
    Schnell vorbei 
Bist du doch gegangen!
Wär' mein Lieb' nur blieben treu,
    Blieben treu,
Sollte mir nicht bangen.

Um die Ernte wohlgemut,
    Wohlgemut
Schnitterrinnen singen.
Aber, ach! mir [kranken]2 Blut,
    [Mir kranken]2 Blut
[Will nichts]3 mehr gelingen.

Schleiche so durch's Wiesental,
    So durch's Tal,
Als im Traum verloren,
Nach dem Berg, da tausendmal,
    Tausendmal,
Er mir [Treu']4 geschworen.

Oben auf des Hügels Rand, 
    Abgewandt,
Wein' ich bei der Linde;
An dem Hut mein Rosenband, 
    Von seiner Hand,
Spielet in dem Winde.

Text Authorship:

  • by Eduard Mörike (1804 - 1875), "Agnes", written 1831, first published 1838

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Confirmed with Eduard Mörike, Gedichte, Dramatisches, Erzählendes, Zweite, erweiterte Auflage, Stuttgart: J.G. Cotta'sche Buchhandlung Nachf., 1961, page 62.

Note: the text was written for the novel Maler Nolten, in which it had the title "Refrain-Liedchen". In the 1877 version of the text, stanza 2, line 5, word 2 was "krankem" instead of "kranken".

1 Wöbbe: "bald"; further changes may exist not shown above.
2 Jacques-Dalcroze: "Mit krankem"; Kahn, E. Kauffmann, and Wetzel: "Mir krankem"
3 Jacques-Dalcroze: "Will's nicht"
4 Jacques-Dalcroze: "Treue"

by Eduard Mörike (1804 - 1875)
2. Time of roses! How quickly past
Language: English 
Time of roses! How quickly past,
Quickly past 
have you gone!
Had my sweetheart only remained true,
remained true,
Then I should fear nothing.

At the harvest, cheerfully,
Cheerfully 
the reaping women sing.
But ah! poor me, 
poor me,
I can no longer do anything right.

I creep so through the meadow valley,
Through the meadow valley, 
as if lost in a dream,
To the mountain, where a thousand times,
a thousand times,
he swore he would be true.

Above on the edge of the hill, 
turning away,
I weep by the linden tree;
On my hat, the wreath of roses 
that he made for me 
Blows in the wind.

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © by Emily Ezust

    Emily Ezust permits her translations to be reproduced without prior permission for printed (not online) programs to free-admission concerts only, provided the following credit is given:

    Translation copyright © by Emily Ezust,
    from the LiederNet Archive

    For any other purpose, please write to the e-mail address below to request permission and discuss possible fees.


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Note: updated 2014-03-25 after a kind suggestion by Lau Kanen.


This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 24
Word count: 110

Translation © by Emily Ezust
3. Lied der Spinnerin  [sung text not yet checked]
by Ernst Ludwig (1852 - 1925), "Lied der Spinnerin", op. 9 no. 3, published 1885 [ voice and piano ], Reichenberg, Schöpfer
Language: German (Deutsch) 
[Schnurre, schnurre]1, meine Spindel,
Dreh' dich ohne Rast und Ruh'!
Todtenhemd und Kinderwindel
Und das Brautbett rüstest du.

Goldner Faden, kann nicht sagen,
Welch ein Schicksal dir bestimmt,
Ob mit Freuden, ob mit Klagen
Das Gespinst ein Ende nimmt.

Anders wird's, als [wir's]2 begonnen,
Anders kommt's, als wir gehofft;
Was zur Hochzeit war gesponnen,
Ward zum Leichentuch schon oft.

Schnurre, Spindel, schnurre leise,
Rund ist wie [dein]3 Rad [das]4 Glück;
Gehst du selig auf die Reise,
Kehrst du weinend wohl zurück.

In die Wolken geht die Sonne,
Schnell verweht im Wind ein Wort;
Wie der Faden rollt die Wonne,
Rollen Lieb' und Treue fort.

[Schnurre, Spindel, schnurr' im Kreise]5,
Dreh' dich ohne Rast und Ruh' --
Und ihr Thränen, fließet leise,
Fließet unaufhaltsam zu!

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Confirmed with Emanuel Geibels gesammelte Werke in acht Bänden, Erster Band, Jugendgedichte. Zeitstimmen. Sonette, Stuttgart: Verlag der J.G. Cotta'schen Buchhandlung, 1883, pages 121-122.

1 Hornstein: "Schnurr' im Kreise"
2 Hornstein: "wir"
3 Hornstein: "ein"
4 Courvoisier: "dein"
5 Hornstein: "Schnurr' im Kreise, meine Spindel"

by Emanuel Geibel (1815 - 1884)
3. Song of the spinning girl
Language: English 
Whirr, whirr, my spindle,
Turn without pause!
Burial shroud and child's diaper
And the bridal bed, you equip them all.

Golden thread, I cannot say
What fate has been determined for you,
Whether with happiness, whether with lamenting
The spun yarn shall end.

It can be different than we began it,
It can turn out differently from what he hoped;
That which was spun for a wedding
Often became a shroud.

Whirr, spindle, whirr quietly,
Happiness is as round as your wheel; 
If you blissfully set out on a journey,
You may well return weeping.

The sun goes into the clouds,
The wind quickly dissipates a word;
Like a thread, bliss rolls,
Love and faithfulness roll away.

Whirr, spindle, whirr in a circle,
Turn with out pause and rest!
And ye tears, flow quietly,
Flow unstoppably on!

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: 

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Translations of titles:
"Am Spinnrocken" = "At the distaff"
"Die Spinnerin" = "The spinning girl"
"Lied der Spinnerin" = "Song of the spinning girl"


This text was added to the website: 2026-04-21
Line count: 24
Word count: 143

Translation © by Sharon Krebs