English translations of Drei Lieder für Mezzo-Sopran oder Bariton mit Pianoforte, opus 8

by Karl Ludwig Friedrich Hetsch (1806 - 1872)

1. Elfenlied  [sung text not yet checked]
by Karl Ludwig Friedrich Hetsch (1806 - 1872), "Elfenlied", op. 8 (Drei Lieder für Mezzo-Sopran oder Bariton mit Pianoforte) no. 1, published 1846 [ mezzo-soprano or baritone or tenor and piano ], Hamburg, Schuberth und Co.
Language: German (Deutsch) 
[Bei Nacht im Dorf]1 der Wächter rief: 
    Elfe!
Ein ganz kleines Elfchen im Walde schlief --
    Wohl um die Elfe! --
Und meint, es rief ihm aus dem Tal 
Bei seinem Namen die Nachtigall,
Oder Silpelit hätt' ihm gerufen.
Reibt sich der Elf' die Augen aus,
Begibt sich vor sein Schneckenhaus
Und ist als wie ein trunken Mann,
Sein Schläflein war nicht voll getan,
Und humpelt also tippe tapp
Durch's Haselholz in's Tal hinab,
Schlupft an der Mauer hin so dicht,
Da sitzt der Glühwurm Licht an Licht.
»Was sind das helle Fensterlein?
Da drin wird eine Hochzeit sein:
Die Kleinen sitzen bei'm Mahle,
Und treiben's in dem Saale.
Da guck' ich wohl ein wenig 'nein!« 
-- Pfui, stößt den Kopf an harten Stein!
Elfe, gelt, du hast genug?
    Gukuk! Gukuk!

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1 Hetsch: "Des Nachts im Dorfe"; further changes may exist not shown above.

by Eduard Mörike (1804 - 1875)
1. Elf song
Language: English 
At night in the village the watchman called out:
    "Eleven!"
A tiny little elf was sleeping in the forest --
    Just at eleven o’clock! --
And he thinks that from out the valley
The nightingale must have called him by name,
Or that [Silpelit]1 might have called to him.
The elf rubs his eyes,
Steps out in front of his snail-shell house,
And is like a drunken man,
[For] his little sleep was not long enough;
And he hobbles about thus, tip tap
Through the hazelwood down into the valley,
Slips along closely beside the wall;
There sits the glow-worm, light upon light.
"What bright windows are those?
There must be a wedding celebration inside;
The little folk are sitting at the feast
And carousing about in the ballroom.
I shall just peep inside a bit!"
-- Faugh! he bumps his head against hard stone!
Well, elf, I guess you’ve had enough?
    Cuckoo! Cuckoo!

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2016 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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Note: The German word "elf" means both "eleven" and "elf"
1 Silpelit is the king of the elves.


This text was added to the website: 2016-03-08
Line count: 23
Word count: 152

Translation © by Sharon Krebs
2. Früh  [sung text not yet checked]
by Karl Ludwig Friedrich Hetsch (1806 - 1872), "Früh", op. 8 (Drei Lieder für Mezzo-Sopran oder Bariton mit Pianoforte) no. 2, published 1846 [ mezzo-soprano or baritone or tenor and piano ], Hamburg, Schuberth und Co.
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Früh, [wann]1 die Hähne kräh'n,
[Eh']2 die Sternlein [verschwinden]3,
Muß ich am [Herde stehn]4,
Muß Feuer zünden.

Schön ist der [Flammen]5 Schein,
[Es]6 springen die Funken.
Ich schaue so [drein]7,
In Leid versunken.

Plötzlich, da kommt es mir,
Treuloser Knabe,
Daß ich die Nacht von dir
Geträumet habe.

Träne auf Träne dann
Stürzet hernieder;
So kommt der Tag heran -
O ging' er wieder!

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Confirmed with Eduard Mörike, Gedichte, Dramatisches, Erzählendes, Zweite, erweiterte Auflage, Stuttgart: J.G. Cotta'sche Buchhandlung Nachf., 1961, pages 61-62.

1 Bock, Feyhl, Zenger: "wenn"; Senger: "eh' " (further changes may exist not noted above).
2 Zenger: "Wenn"
3 Schumann, Pfitzner (SJ5), Wolf: "schwinden"
4 van Eijken, Schumann: "Heerde steh'n"
5 Schumann, Wetzel: "Flamme"
6 Reinecke: "Hell"
7 Molitor, Reinecke, Schumann, Pfitzner (SJ5), Wolf, Zenger: "darein"

by Eduard Mörike (1804 - 1875)
2.
Language: English 
Early, when the cock crows,
Before the stars disappear,
I must stand at the hearth;
I must light the fire.

Beautiful is the blaze of the flames;
[The sparks fly]1.
I gaze into the fire,
Sunk in grief.

Suddenly, it comes to me,
Unfaithful boy,
That last night
I dreamed of you.

Tears upon tears then 
Pour down;
So the day comes -
O would it were gone again!

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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Translated titles:
"Das verlassene Mägdlein" = "The abandoned maiden"
"Die Verlassene" = "The abandoned one"
1 Reinecke: "Bright fly the sparks"


This text was added to the website: 2003-10-13
Line count: 16
Word count: 70

Translation © by Emily Ezust
3. Agnes  [sung text not yet checked]
by Karl Ludwig Friedrich Hetsch (1806 - 1872), "Agnes", op. 8 (Drei Lieder für Mezzo-Sopran oder Bariton mit Pianoforte) no. 3, published 1846 [ mezzo-soprano or baritone or tenor and piano ], Hamburg, Schuberth und Co.
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 mehr gelingen.

Schleiche so durch's Wiesental,
    So durch's Tal,
Als im Traum verloren,
Nach dem Berg, da tausendmal,
    Tausendmal,
Er mir Treu' 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: written for the novel Maler Nolten, in which it had the title "Refrain-Liedchen"
1 Wöbbe: "bald"; further changes may exist not shown above.
2 1877 version, also used by Kahn, E. Kauffmann, and Wetzel: "krankem"

by Eduard Mörike (1804 - 1875)
3. 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