[Schnurre, schnurre]1, meine Spindel,
Dreh' dich ohne Rast und Ruh'!
Totenhemd 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 Tränen, fließet leise,
Fließet unaufhaltsam zu!

W. Courvoisier sets stanzas 1-2, 4-6

About the headline (FAQ)

View text without footnotes
¹ Hornstein: "Schnurr' im Kreise"
² Hornstein: "wir"
³ Hornstein: "ein"
⁴ Courvoisier: "dein"
⁵ Hornstein: "Schnurr' im Kreise, meine Spindel"

Text Authorship:

• by Emanuel Geibel (1815 - 1884), "Lied der Spinnerin", appears in Jugendgedichte, in 3. Drittes Buch, in Athen [author's text checked 1 time 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 Ludwig Bonvin (1850 - 1939), "Am Spinnrocken", op. 48, published 1898 [ four-part women's chorus and piano ], Leipzig, Hug & Co. [sung text not yet checked]
• by Ignaz Brüll (1846 - 1907), "Lied der Spinnerin", op. 68 (Vier Lieder für 1 Singstimme mit Pianoforte) no. 4, published 1892 [ voice and piano ], Leipzig, W. Hansen [sung text not yet checked]
• by Walter Courvoisier (1875 - 1931), "Lied der Spinnerin", op. 19 (Sieben Gedichte von Emanuel Geibel) no. 1, stanzas 1-2,4-6 [ voice and piano ] [sung text checked 1 time]
• by Alexander von Fielitz (1860 - 1930), "Lied der Spinnerin", op. 24 no. 3, published 1893 [ voice and piano ], from Drei Geibel'sche Lieder für 1 Singstimme mit Pianofortebegleitung, no. 3, Leipzig, Breitkopf & Härtel [sung text not yet checked]
• by Robert von Hornstein (1833 - 1890), "Lied der Spinnerin", op. 27 (Cancionero. 15 Lieder) no. 14, published 1863 [ voice and piano ] [sung text checked 1 time]
• by Emil Keller (1838 - 1900), "Lied der Spinnerin", op. 12 (Neun Lieder für vierstimmigen Männerchor) no. 2, published 1877 [ four-part men's chorus a cappella ], Zürich, Hug  [sung text not yet checked]
• by Friederich Ernst Koch (1862 - 1927), "Lied der Spinnerin", op. 23 no. 3, published 1898 [ voice and piano ], from [Fünf] Ernste und heitere Gesänge für 1 hohe Stimme -- für 1 tiefe Stimme mit Pianoforte, no. 3, Leipzig, Kistner [sung text not yet checked]
• by Eduard Lassen (1830 - 1904), "Die Spinnerin", published 1871 [ voice and piano ], from Sechs Lieder, no. 6, Breslau, Hainauer [sung text not yet checked]
• by Ernst Ludwig (1852 - 1925), "Lied der Spinnerin", op. 9 (Drei Lieder für 1 Singstimme mit Pianoforte) no. 3, published 1885 [ voice and piano ], Reichenberg, Schöpfer [sung text not yet checked]
• by Benedikt Randhartinger (1802 - 1893), "Lied der Spinnerin" [ voice and piano ] [sung text checked 1 time]
• by Franz Ries (1846 - 1932), "Lied der Spinnerin", op. 33 (Vier Lieder 1 mittlere Stimme mit Pianofortebegleitung) no. 3, published 1881 [ medium voice and piano ], Dresden, Ries, also set in French (Français) [sung text not yet checked]
• by Ernst (Friedrich Karl) Rudorff (1840 - 1916), "Lied der Spinnerin", op. 9, Heft 2 no. 3, published 1870 [ four-part women's chorus a cappella ], Bonn, Simrock [sung text not yet checked]

Settings in other languages, adaptations, or excerpts:

• Also set in French (Français), a translation by Anonymous/Unidentified Artist , after stanza 5 (perhaps 6 as well?) [an adaptation] ; composed by Franz Ries.
  • Go to the text. [Note: the text is not in the database yet.]
    

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

• ENG English (Sharon Krebs) , copyright © 2026, (re)printed on this website with kind permission

Research team for this page: Emily Ezust [Administrator] , Johann Winkler

This text was added to the website: 2010-09-26
Line count: 24
Word count: 130

[Whirr, whirr]1, 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]2 is as round as [your]3 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]4,
Turn with out pause and rest!
And ye tears, flow quietly,
Flow unstoppably on!