by Robert Burns (1759 - 1796)
Translation by L. G. Silbergleit

O were my Love yon lilac fair
Language: Scottish (Scots) 
Our translations:  SPA
O were my Love yon lilac fair,
  Wi' purple blossoms to the spring,
And I a bird to shelter there,
  When wearied on my little wing;
How I wad mourn when it was torn
  By autumn wild and winter rude!
But I wad sing on wanton wing
  When youthfu' May its bloom renew'd.
 
O gin my Love were yon red rose
  That grows upon the castle wa',
And I mysel a drap o' dew,
  Into her bonnie breast to fa';
[O there, beyond expression blest,
  I'd feast on beauty a' the night;
Seal'd on her silk-saft faulds to rest,
  Till fley'd awa' by Phoebus' light.]1

A. Beach sets stanza 2, 1

About the headline (FAQ)

View original text (without footnotes)
1 omitted by Beach.

Text Authorship:

  • by Robert Burns (1759 - 1796), "O were my Love yon lilac fair"

See other settings of this text.

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

  • CZE Czech (Čeština) (Josef Václav Sládek) , "Kéž byla bys ten vonný bez"
  • SPA Spanish (Español) (Elisa Rapado) , copyright © 2020, (re)printed on this website with kind permission


Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]

This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 16
Word count: 106

O wär' mein Lieb der Fliederbusch
 (Sung text for setting by J. Gall)
 See original
Language: German (Deutsch)  after the Scottish (Scots) 
Our translations:  ENG
   O wär' mein Lieb
   Der Fliederbusch,
Der drüben blüht so blau;
   Und ich ein Vogel,
   Flög ich  ... ,
In ihren kühlen Thau.

   Ich säng' ihm Trost,
   Stünd er im Frost,
Des grünen Laubes bar;
   Dann säng ich 
Wieder himmelan
Im frohen frühen Jahr.

   Und wär' mein Lieb
   Die rothe Ros'
An jenem Wiesenrain;
   Und fiel ich doch
   In ihren Schoß 
Als Abendthau hinein.

   Wie hätt' ich da
   Die ganze Nacht
In ihrem Duft geruht;
   Wie hätt' ich mich 
So sanft verhaucht
In früher Sonnengluth.

Composition:

Text Authorship:

Based on:

See other settings of this text.

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

  • ENG English (Sharon Krebs) , copyright © 2017, (re)printed on this website with kind permission


Research team for this page: Emily Ezust [Administrator] , Sharon Krebs [Senior Associate Editor]

This text was added to the website: 2010-04-03
Line count: 24
Word count: 92