Ein Schäfer saß im Grünen,
  Sein Liebchen süß im Arm;
  Durch [Buchenwipfel]1 schienen
  Der Sonne Strahlen warm.
 
[Er kos'te]2 froh und heiter
  Von Liebeständeley.
  Da ritt bewehrt ein Reiter
  [Den]3 Glücklichen vorbey.
 
»Sitz' ab, und suche Kühle!«
  Rief ihm der Schäfer zu.
  »Des Mittags nahe Schwüle
  Gebiethet stille Ruh'.
 
Noch lacht im Morgenglanze
  So Strauch als Blume hier,
  Und Liebchen pflückt zum Kranze
  Die [frischen]4 Blüthen dir.«
 
Da sprach der finstre Reiter:
  »Nie [hielt]5 mich Wald und Flur.
  Mich treibt mein Schicksal weiter,
  Und ach, mein ernster Schwur!
 
Ich gab mein [frisches]6 Leben
  Dahin um schnöden Sold;
  Glück kann ich nicht erstreben,
  Nur höchstens Ruhm und Gold.
 
Drum schnell, mein Roß, und trabe
  Vorbey, wo Blumen blüh'n.
  Einst lohnt wohl Ruh' im Grabe
  Des Kämpfenden Bemüh'n.«

About the headline (FAQ)

View original text (without footnotes)

Confirmed with Gedichte von Fridr. Baron de la Motte-Fouqué. Neueste Auflage. Wien 1816. Bey B. Ph. Bauer, pages 77-78.

¹ Schubert's autograph (by mistake?): "Buchenwipfeln"
² Schubert: "Sie kosten"
³ Schubert's autograph (by mistake?): "Die"
⁴ Schubert: "schönsten"
⁵ Schubert: "hält"
⁶ Schubert: "junges"

Text Authorship:

• by Friedrich Heinrich Karl, Freiherr de La Motte-Fouqué (1777 - 1843), "Schäfer und Reiter" [author's text checked 2 times against a primary source]

Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):

• by Franz Peter Schubert (1797 - 1828), "Der Schäfer und der Reiter", op. 13 (Drei Lieder) no. 1, D 517 (1817) [ voice and piano ] [sung text checked 1 time]

Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):

• CAT Catalan (Català) (Salvador Pila) , copyright © 2018, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
• DUT Dutch (Nederlands) [singable] (Lau Kanen) , "De herder en de ruiter", copyright © 2006, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
• ENG English (Sharon Krebs) , "Shepherd and rider", copyright © 2015, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
• FRE French (Français) (Guy Laffaille) , "Le berger et le cavalier", copyright © 2011, (re)printed on this website with kind permission

Research team for this page: Sharon Krebs [Guest Editor] , Peter Rastl [Guest Editor]

This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 28
Word count: 132

A shepherd sat in the greenery,
  His arm sweetly about his beloved;
  Through the treetops shone
  The sunbeams warmly.
 
[He caressed her]1 joyfully and merrily
  In the dalliance of love;
  Then an armoured horseman rode
  Past the happy ones.
 
"Dismount and seek coolness!"
  The shepherd called to him.
  "The approaching sultriness of noontime
  Commands one to take quiet rest.
 
Still laughing in the glow of morning
  Are bush and flower here,
  And my darling shall pick for you
  The [freshest]2 blossoms to weave into a wreath."
 
Thereupon the sombre rider spoke:
  "Never could forest and meadow detain me.
  I am driven onward by my fate,
  And, ah, by my solemn oath!
 
I traded my young life
  Away for idle filthy lucre;
  I cannot strive for happiness,
  Only at the most for fame and gold.
 
Therefore make haste, my steed, and tramp
  Past there where flowers bloom;
  Someday rest in the grave shall
  Reward the efforts of the warrior."