English translations of Fünf Romanzen und Lieder, opus 84

by Johannes Brahms (1833 - 1897)

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1. Sommerabend
 (Sung text)
by Johannes Brahms (1833 - 1897), "Sommerabend", op. 84 (Fünf Romanzen und Lieder) no. 1 (1881), published 1888 [ voice and piano ], Berlin, Simrock
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Die Mutter:
 Geh' schlafen, Tochter, schlafen!
 Schon fällt der Tau aufs Gras,
 Und wen die Tropfen trafen,
 Weint bald die Augen naß!

Die Tochter:
 Laß weinen, Mutter, weinen!
 Das Mondlicht leuchtet hell,
 Und wem die Strahlen scheinen,
 Dem trocknen Tränen schnell!

Die Mutter:
 Geh' schlafen, Tochter, schlafen!
 Schon ruft der Kauz im Wald,
 Und wen die Töne trafen,
 Muß mit ihm klagen bald!

Die Tochter:
 Laß klagen, Mutter, klagen!
 Die Nachtigall singt hell,
 Und wem die Lieder schlagen,
 Dem schwindet Trauer schnell!

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Note: The indications of who is speaking are not in the original text.

by Hans Schmidt (1854 - 1923)
1. Summer evening
Language: English 
The mother:
 Go to sleep, daughter, sleep!
 Already the dew is falling on the grass,
 And whomever the drops touch,
 soon weeps his eyes wet!

The daughter:
 Let him cry, Mother, let him cry!
 The moon shines brightly,
 And whomever the beams shine upon,
 shall quickly dry his tears!

The mother:
 Go to sleep, daughter, sleep!
 Already the screech owl is calling in the forest,
 And whoever hears those tones
 must soon lament with it!

The daughter:
 Let him lament, Mother, let him lament!
 The nightingale sings brightly,
 And the one for whom those songs are sung
 shall soon lose his sadness!

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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This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 20
Word count: 102

Translation © by Emily Ezust
2. Der Kranz
 (Sung text)
by Johannes Brahms (1833 - 1897), "Der Kranz", op. 84 (Fünf Romanzen und Lieder) no. 2 (1881), published 1888 [ voice and piano ], Berlin, Simrock
Language: German (Deutsch) 
"Mutter, hilf mir armen Tochter,
Sieh' nur, was ein Knabe tat:
Einen Kranz von Rosen flocht er,
Den er mich zu tragen bat!"

""Ei, sei deshalb unerschrocken,
Helfen läßt sich dir gewiß!
Nimm den Kranz nur aus den Locken,
Und den Knaben, den vergiß!""

"Dornen hat der Kranz, o Mutter,
Und die halten fest das Haar!
Worte sprach der Knabe, Mutter,
an die denk' ich immerdar!"

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by Hans Schmidt (1854 - 1923)
2. The wreath
Language: English 
"Mother, help me, your poor daughter,
Look at what some boy has done:
He's woven a wreath of roses,
which he told me to wear!"

""Ah, don't be frightened by that;
it can certainly be helped!
Just remove the wreath from your hair,
and the boy: forget him!""

"The wreath has thorns, o Mother,
And they're holding tightly to my hair!
The boy spoke some words, Mother,
and I keep thinking of them!"

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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This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 12
Word count: 73

Translation © by Emily Ezust
3. In den Beeren
 (Sung text)
by Johannes Brahms (1833 - 1897), "In den Beeren", op. 84 (Fünf Romanzen und Lieder) no. 3, published 1888 [ voice and piano ], Berlin, Simrock
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Die Mutter:
 Singe, Mädchen, hell und klar,
 Sing' aus voller Kehle,
 Daß uns nicht die Spatzenschar
 Alle Beeren stehle!

Die Tochter:
 Mutter, mag auch weit der Spatz
 Flieh'n vor meinem Singen,
 Fürcht' ich doch, es wird den Schatz
 Um so näher bringen.

Die Mutter:
 Freilich, für so dreisten Gauch
 Braucht es einer Scheuche,
 Warte nur, ich komme auch
 In die Beerensträuche!

Die Tochter:
 Mutter, nein, das hat nicht Not:
 Beeren, schau, sind teuer,
 Doch der Küsse, reif und rot,
 Gibt es viele heuer!

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Note: The indications of who is speaking are not in the original text.

by Hans Schmidt (1854 - 1923)
3. Among the berries
Language: English 
The mother:
 Sing, my girl, brightly and clearly:
 sing with a full throat,
 so that the flock of sparrows doesn't
 steal all our berries!

The daughter:
 Mother, even if the sparrow 
 flies from my singing,
 I'm afraid that it might
 bring my sweetheart nearer.

The mother:
 Of course, for such a brazen cuckoo,
 we need a scarecrow;
 Just wait, I'll join you 
 in the berrybushes.

The daughter:
 Mother, no... there's no need:
 Look, berries are rare,
 But kisses, ripe and red,
 are plentiful this year!

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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This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 20
Word count: 85

Translation © by Emily Ezust
4. Vergebliches Ständchen
 (Sung text)

Subtitle: Niederrheinisches Volkslied

by Johannes Brahms (1833 - 1897), "Vergebliches Ständchen", subtitle: "Niederrheinisches Volkslied", op. 84 (Fünf Romanzen und Lieder) no. 4 (1877-9), published 1886, first performed 1883 [ voice and piano ], Berlin, Simrock
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Guten Abend, mein Schatz,
Guten Abend, mein Kind!
Ich komm aus Lieb' zu dir,
Ach, mach' mir auf die Tür,
Mach' mir auf die Tür!

Meine Tür ist verschlossen,
Ich laß dich nicht ein;
Mutter, die rät' mir klug,
Wärst du herein mit Fug,
Wär's mit mir vorbei!

So kalt ist die Nacht,
So eisig der Wind,
Daß mir das Herz erfriert,
Mein' Lieb' erlöschen wird;
Öffne mir, mein Kind!

Löschet dein' Lieb';
Lass' sie löschen nur!
Löschet sie immerzu,
Geh' heim zu Bett, zur Ruh',
Gute Nacht, mein Knab'!

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from Volkslieder (Folksongs)
4. Futile Serenade
Language: English 
Good evening, my treasure,
good evening, sweet girl!
I come from love of you,
Ah, open the door,
open the door for me!

My door is locked,
and I won't let you in:
My mother has advised me well!
If you came in,
It would all be over for me!

The night is so cold,
and the wind so icy
that my heart will freeze,
and my love will be extinguished!
Open for me, sweet girl!

If your love starts dying,
then let it be extinguished!
If it keeps dying,
go home to bed, and rest!
Good night, my boy!

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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Translation of title "Vergebliches Ständchen" = "Futile Serenade"



This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 20
Word count: 100

Translation © by Emily Ezust
5. Spannung
 (Sung text)
by Johannes Brahms (1833 - 1897), "Spannung", op. 84 (Fünf Romanzen und Lieder) no. 5 (1877-9), published 1888 [ voice and piano ], Berlin, Simrock
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Er:
 Gut'n Abend, gut'n Abend, mein tausiger Schatz,
 Ich sag' dir guten Abend;
 Komm' du zu mir, ich komme zu dir,
 Du sollst mir Antwort geben, mein Engel!

Sie:
 Ich kommen zu dir, du kommen zu mir?
 Das wär' mir gar keine Ehre;
 Du gehst von mir zu andern Jungfraun,
 Das hab' ich wohl vernommen, mein Engel!

Er:
 Ach nein, mein Schatz, und glaub' es nur nicht,
 Was falsche Zungen reden,
 Es geben so viele gottlosige Leut',
 Die dir und mir nichts gönnen, mein Engel!

Sie:
 Und gibt es so viele gottlosige Leut',
 Die dir und mir nichts gönnen,
 So solltest du selber bewahren die Treu' 
 Und machen zu Schanden ihr Reden, mein Engel!

Er:
 Leb' wohl, mein Schatz, ich hör' es wohl,
 Du hast einen Anderen lieber,
 So will ich meiner Wege geh'n,
 Gott möge dich wohl behüten, mein Engel!

Sie:
 Ach nein, ich hab' kein' Anderen lieb,
 Ich glaub' nicht gottlosigen Leuten,
 Komm' du zu mir, ich komme zu dir,
 Wir bleiben uns beide getreue, mein Engel!

Text Authorship:

  • from Volkslieder (Folksongs) , text from Deutsche Volkslieder mit ihren Original-Weisen, Berlin, first published 1838-40

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from Volkslieder (Folksongs)
5. Good evening, good evening, my wondrous treasure
Language: English 
He:
 Good evening, good evening, my wondrous1 treasure,
 I tell you, good evening;
 Come to me, and I will come to you.
 You must give me an answer, my angel!

She:
 I come to you, and you come to me?
 In that there would be no honor for me;
 You go from me to other maidens:
 that I have heard frequently, my angel!

He:
 But no, my treasure, don't believe
 what false tongues say:
 there are so many godless people out there
 who tolerate nothing between you and me, my angel!

She:
 And if there are so many godless people out there
 who tolerate nothing between you and me,
 Then you should keep faithful
 and make them ashamed of their gossip, my angel!

He:
 Farewell, my treasure, I understand you well:
 you prefer another man to me,
 so I will go on my way;
 May God protect you, my angel!

She:
 Alas, no! I don't prefer anyone else!
 I won't believe those godless people.
 Come to me, and I will come to you;
 I know we'll remain true to each other, my angel!

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.


Based on:

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View original text (without footnotes)
1 Translator's note: I cannot find "tausig" in any dictionary, but it is sometimes translated "dear" in CD booklets. I found "phenomenal" used as a translation of the word in a book about Liszt (Reflections on Liszt by Alan Walker, Cornell University Press: 2005): "On the very day that Liszt had first accepted Tausig as his pupil, he had made a witty pun on Tausig's name, 'Das ist ein ganz tausiger Kerl' (He is a phenomenal fellow)." (p. 63) I decided to take the middle road with "wondrous".


This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 30
Word count: 184

Translation © by Emily Ezust