"Guten Abend, lieber Mondenschein!
Wie blickst mir so traulich ins Herz hinein!
Nun sprich, und laß dich nicht lange fragen,
Du hast mir gewiß einen Gruß zu sagen,
Einen Gruß von meinem Schatz!" --
"Wie sollt' ich bringen den Gruß zu dir?
Du hast ja keinen Schatz bei mir;
Und was mir da unten die Burschen sagen,
Und was mir die Frauen und Mädchen klagen,
Ei, das versteh' ich nicht." --
"Hast Recht, mein lieber Mondenschein,
Du darfst auch Schätzchens Bote nicht sein;
Denn thätst zu tief du ihr ins Auge sehen,
Du könntest ja nimmermehr untergehen,
Schienst ewig nur für sie.“
...
Note: the text above is taken from stanzas 1-3 of the original text.
Composition:
Set to music by Niels Wilhelm Gade (1817 - 1890), "Abendreihn", op. 9 no. 2, published 1845, stanzas 1-3 [ vocal duet for 2 sopranos with piano ], from Lieder im Volkston [first published as Neun Lieder im Volkston], no. 2, Leipzig, Breitkopf und Härtel, also set in English, also set in French (Français)
Text Authorship:
See other settings of this text.
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- CAT Catalan (Català) (Salvador Pila) , copyright © 2023, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- ENG English (Michael P Rosewall) , copyright © 2012, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- FRE French (Français) (Guy Laffaille) , "Chant du soir", copyright © 2014, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Research team for this page: Emily Ezust
[Administrator] , Sharon Krebs
[Senior Associate Editor], Andrew Schneider
[Guest Editor] , Johann Winkler
This text was added to the website: 2007-07-04
Line count: 20
Word count: 138
Good evening, dear moonlight,
How intimately you gaze into my heart;
Now speak and ask no more questions,
You must surely have a greeting to give,
A greeting from my sweetheart!
How could I bring a greeting to you?
I certainly have no sweetheart with me;
And what the lads say down below me,
And how the wives and maids complain,
Ah, I understand none of it!
You are correct, you dear moonlight,
And you musn't be my sweetie's messenger,
For if you were to look deeply into her eyes,
You would never again set,
Shining forever only for her!
...
