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O weißt du, wie's die Blume macht, Wenn sie erwacht Vom süßen Traum in kühler Nacht? -- Sobald des Morgens erstes Licht Grüngolden durch die Blätter bricht, Schlägt sie die Augen auf sogleich, Noch tränenreich, Und schaut mit freudenvollem Sinn Hin nach des Tages Königin. Doch weißt du, wie's der Blume geht, Wie sie verweht, Wenn traurig sie im Dunkeln steht, Und droben an der Himmelsbahn Die Sonne nimmer schauen kann? Matt senkt ihr Antlitz sie herab Und welket ab, Und -- o des Leids! -- in kurzer Frist Verwelkt sie und gestorben ist. -- So schau' auch ich, wenn ich erwacht Vom Traum der Nacht, Drin selig ich an dich gedacht, Nach dir, nach dir, mein Lieb', gleich hin, Du meines Herzens Königin! Und schau' ich einst dich nimmermehr, Ob rings umher Mein [thränend]1 Auge nach dir späht, Ist auch mein Leben bald verweht.
Confirmed with Liederbuch von Friedrich Oser, 1842-1874. Mit einem biographischen Verzeichnis der Componisten, Basel: Benno Schwabe, Verlagsbuchhandlung, 1875, pages 209-210.
1 Randhartinger: "träumend"Text Authorship:
- by Friedrich Heinrich Oser (1820 - 1891), "O weißt du, wie's die Blume macht?", appears in Liederbuch, in 2. Liebeslieder, no. 237 [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 Benedikt Randhartinger (1802 - 1893), "O weißt du, wie's die Blume macht" [sung text checked 1 time]
- by Eduard Tauwitz (1812 - 1894) [sung text not yet checked]
- by Philipp Tietz (1816 - 1878) [sung text not yet checked]
- by Johann Wolfensperger (1845 - 1906) [sung text not yet checked]
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- ENG English (Sharon Krebs) , "Oh, do you know how the flower behaves?", copyright © 2026, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Research team for this page: Sharon Krebs [Senior Associate Editor], Johann Winkler
This text was added to the website: 2021-08-17
Line count: 27
Word count: 142
Oh, do you know how the flower behaves When it wakens From a sweet dream in the cool night? -- As soon as the first light of morning Breaks, green-gold, through the leaves It immediately opens its eyes, Still filled with tears, And with a joyful spirit looks Toward the queen of the day. But do you know what befalls the flower, How it perishes When it stands sadly in the dark, And can no longer see the sun Up yonder upon its celestial path? Wearily it droops its head And wilts away, And -- oh the sorrow of it! -- in a short time It fades and has died. -- Thus I, too, when I awake From my dreams in the night, [Dreams] in which I blissfully thought of you, I immediately look for you, for you, You, the queen of my heart! And if I someday see you nevermore, Though all around My [weeping]1 eyes seek you, My life , too, shall soon be dissipated.
1 Randhartinger: "dreaming"
Text Authorship:
- Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2026 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.
Contact: licenses@email.lieder.example.net
Based on:
- a text in German (Deutsch) by Friedrich Heinrich Oser (1820 - 1891), "O weißt du, wie's die Blume macht?", appears in Liederbuch, in 2. Liebeslieder, no. 237
This text was added to the website: 2026-05-09
Line count: 27
Word count: 164