English translations of VI Altdeutsche Lieder, opus 20

by Walther von Goethe (1818 - 1885)

1. Herr Jägermeister
 (Sung text)
by Walther von Goethe (1818 - 1885), "Herr Jägermeister", op. 20 (VI Altdeutsche Lieder), Heft 1 no. 1, published 1847 [ voice and piano ], Hannover: in der Hofmusikalienhandlung von Adolph Nagel
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Es wollt' ein Jäger jagen
  Wollt' jagen in dem Holz,
Da sieht er auf der Haide
  Ein Hirschlein das war stolz.
"Seid ihr ein Jägermeister,
  Wollt' jagen in dem Holz,
Hab' ich vier schöne Füßlein,
  Die tragen mich davon."

Hast du vier schöne Füßlein,
  Die tragen dich davon,
Führ' ich zwei schöne Windlein
  An einem braunen Band.
"Führt ihr zwei schöne Windlein
  An einem braunen Band,
Hab' ich zwei braune Äuglein,
  Die führen mich davon."

Hast du zwei braune Äuglein
  Die führen dich davon,
Hab' ich zwei kleine Hündlein,
  Die jagen Berg und Thal.
"Habt ihr zwei kleine Hündlein,
  Die jagen Berg und Thal,
Hab' ich zwei kleine Hörnlein,
  Die dringen durch den Wald."

Da hebt der Jägermeister,
  Mit Lust zu blasen an,
Des Hornes helle Stimme
  Dringt durch den grünen Wald.
Das Thierlein aber liefe,
  Rasch durch dem grünen Wald,
Durch Klee zu einem Brünnlein,
  Das Brünnlein, das war kalt.

Ade, ade Herzliebste,
  Das Liedlein hat gemacht
Ein freier, treuer Ritter, 
  Der gern im Walde jagt.
Er hat es wohl gesungen
  Aus seinem rothen Mund,
Gott hüte mir den Ritter
  Vor jeder bösen Stund'!

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by Johann Paul Kaltenbaeck (1804 - 1861)
1. Master huntsman
Language: English 
A huntsman wanted to go hunting,
  Wanted to hunt in the woods[,]
There, upon the heath, he sees
  A little deer that was proud.
"If you are a master huntsman,
  Wishing to hunt in the forest,
I have four beautiful little feet,
  They shall carry me off and away."

If you have four beautiful little feet
  That shall carry you off and away,
I lead two beautiful greyhounds
  On a brown leash."
"If you lead two beautiful greyhounds
  On a brown leash,
I have two brown little eyes,
  They shall lead me off and away."

If you have two little brown eyes
  That shall lead you off and away,
I have two little dogs,
  Who hunt the mountains and valleys.
"If you have two little dogs,
  Who hunt the mountains and valleys,
I have two little horns
  That penetrate through the forest."

Thereupon the master huntsman
  Begins to blow his horn with enthusiasm,
The bright voice of the horn
  Penetrates through the green forest.
But the little animal ran
  Quickly through the green forest,
Through the clover to a little well,
  The little well, it was cold.

Adieu, adieu, most beloved,
  This song was made by
A free, faithful knight
  Who likes to hunt in the forest.
He sang it well, [sending it forth]
  From his red lips,
May God protect this knight 
  From every evil hour!

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2025 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 titles:
"Es wollt' ein Jäger jagen" = "A huntsman wanted to go hunting"
"Herr Jägermeister" = "Master huntsman"



This text was added to the website: 2025-11-27
Line count: 40
Word count: 227

Translation © by Sharon Krebs
2. Behüt' Dich Gott!
 (Sung text)
by Walther von Goethe (1818 - 1885), "Behüt' Dich Gott!", op. 20 (VI Altdeutsche Lieder), Heft 1 no. 2, published 1847 [ voice and piano ], Hannover: in der Hofmusikalienhandlung von Adolph Nagel
Language: German (Deutsch) 
  Behüt' dich Gott zu jeder Stund', 
Ich merk' wohl deinen Sinn, 
Du stehst in meines Herzens Grund, 
Wie fern ich dir auch bin. 
Ich mein' es nicht vermessen, 
Die Treue sprach das Wort, 
Ich kann dich nicht vergessen, 
Und Gott ist hier und dort.

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by Johann Paul Kaltenbaeck (1804 - 1861)
2. May God protect you!
Language: English 
  May God protect you at every hour,
I well know your thoughts,
You are in the depths of my heart,
No matter how far from you I may be.
I do not mean this in a presumptuous way,
It was faithfulness that spoke the word,
I cannot forget you,
And God is both here and yonder.

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2025 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 titles:
"Behüt' Dich Gott!" = "May God protect you!"
"Behüt' dich Gott zu jeder Stund'" = "May God protect you at every hour"



This text was added to the website: 2025-11-28
Line count: 8
Word count: 57

Translation © by Sharon Krebs
3. Wer zahlt die Zeche?  [sung text not yet checked]
by Walther von Goethe (1818 - 1885), "Wer zahlt die Zeche?", op. 20 (VI Altdeutsche Lieder), Heft 1 no. 3, published 1847 [ voice and piano ], Hannover: in der Hofmusikalienhandlung von Adolph Nagel
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Mein Herz das brennt, mein Herz das brennt,
Ob feines Lieb' das wohl erkennt? 

Lass ab, lass ab mein junger Knab, 
Die Lieb' die geht bei uns nicht ab! 

Wohl auf den Reben wächst der Wein, 
Kein Neider kann betrunken sein. 

Schenk' ein, schenk' ein, ein volles Glas, 
Trink' aus mein Lieb', was schadet das? 

Es schadet nicht, es ziemt mir wohl,
Ich weiß auch den, der's zahlen soll!

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by Johann Paul Kaltenbaeck (1804 - 1861)
3. Who pays the reckoning?
Language: English 
My heart burns, my heart burns,
Does my darling recognize that?

Leave off, leave off my young lad,
Love between us is not possible!

Upon the vines grow the wine-grapes,
No envious one can be drunk.

Pour out, pour out a full glass,
Drink up, my love, what can it hurt?

It cannot hurt, it is surely fitting,
I also know the one who shall pay for it!

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2025 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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This text was added to the website: 2025-12-13
Line count: 10
Word count: 68

Translation © by Sharon Krebs
4. Treue Minne
 (Sung text)
by Walther von Goethe (1818 - 1885), "Treue Minne", op. 20 (VI Altdeutsche Lieder), Heft 2 no. 4, published 1847 [ ttbb quartet and piano ], Hannover: in der Hofmusikalienhandlung von Adolph Nagel
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Herzlieb soll ich dich fragen,
Ob das mag Wahrheit sein:
Bin ich dir aus den Augen,
Hast du vergessen mein?

Und wärst du noch so ferne,
Du Allerliebste mein
Mein Hoffen und mein Lieben
Und meine Treue blieben
Bei dir, bei dir allein!

Diess Wort hab ich gehöret
Aus ihrem rothen Mund
Dein hab' ich wohl verspüret
Ein Herze das gesund.

Drum will ich ruhig leben,
In ihrem Dienst stets sein[,]
Das glaube mir weil eben
Sie mir dies Wort gegeben
Die Allerliebste mein.

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by Johann Paul Kaltenbaeck (1804 - 1861)
4. Faithful love
Language: English 
Darling, should I ask you
If this can be true:
As soon as I am out of sight
You have forgotten me?

And if you were ever so far away,
You dearest beloved of mine,
My hope and my love
And my faithfulness would remain
With you, with you alone!

I heard this word
From her red lips
I quite discerned that you have
A heart that is sound.

Therefore, I shall live quietly,
Shall ever be in her service,
Believe me, because she just
Gave me this promise,
My most dearly beloved.

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2025 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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This text was added to the website: 2025-12-16
Line count: 18
Word count: 93

Translation © by Sharon Krebs
5. Als der Knabe fortzog
 (Sung text)
by Walther von Goethe (1818 - 1885), "Als der Knabe fortzog", op. 20 (VI Altdeutsche Lieder), Heft 3 no. 5, published 1847 [ vocal duet and piano ], Hannover: in der Hofmusikalienhandlung von Adolph Nagel
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Er hat zwei helle Äugelein,
  Und einen rothen Mund,
Mein Herz hält er gefangen,
Nach ihm steht mein Verlangen,
  Zu einer jeden Stund.

Der Mai ist uns vergangen,
  Das acht' ich wahrlich klein.
Ich weiß kein größ'res Leiden,
Denn daß ich ihn muß meiden
  Den Allerliebsten mein.

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Note: the Saloman score indicates that the text was "Mitgeteilt von J. P. Kaltenbaeck".

by Johann Paul Kaltenbaeck (1804 - 1861)
5. When the lad departed
Language: English 
He has two [clear]1 eyes,
  And red lips,
He holds my heart in captivity,
My yearning is for him
  At every single hour.

Maytime has passed away for us,
  That I truly regard as a small thing.
I know no greater suffering
Than that I have to be separated from him,
  [From him,] the most dearly beloved of mine.

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2025 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 titles:
"Als der Knabe fortzog" = "When the lad departed"
"Altes Lied" = "Old song"
"Er hat zwei klare Äuglein" = "He has two clear eyes"

1 von Goethe: "bright"


This text was added to the website: 2025-11-28
Line count: 10
Word count: 60

Translation © by Sharon Krebs
6. Mein Gärtlein  [sung text not yet checked]
by Walther von Goethe (1818 - 1885), "Mein Gärtlein", op. 20 (VI Altdeutsche Lieder), Heft 3 no. 6 [ vocal duet and piano ], Hannover: in der Hofmusikalienhandlung von Adolph Nagel
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Hab' mir ein Gärtlein gebauet
Von Veilchen und von grünem Klee,
Ich fürcht', es ist mir erforen,
Wie that das Scheiden so weh!

Erfroren ist mir bei Sonnenschein,
Ein Kräutlein: Je länger je lieber;
Erforen ist mir bei Sonnenschein,
Ein Blümlein: Vergiss mein nicht!

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by Johann Paul Kaltenbaeck (1804 - 1861)
6. My little garden
Language: English 
I have planted myself a little garden
Of violets and green clover,
I fear that it has frozen on me,
How parting was so painful!

In the sunshine there froze 
A little herb: The longer the better;
In the sunshine there froze 
A little flower: Forget-me-not!

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2025 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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This text was added to the website: 2025-12-15
Line count: 8
Word count: 46

Translation © by Sharon Krebs