Language: German (Deutsch)
Sachte will's dämmern,
Mit seinen Lämmern
Zieht schon der Mond an dem Himmel die Bahn;
Müde vom Singen
Vögelein schwingen
Sich zu dem traulichen Neste hinan.
Draußen den zarten
Blümlein im Garten
Fallen die schimmernden Äugelein zu.
Horch, und die Glocken,
Wie sie dich locken:
Schlafe, mein rosiges Kindlein, auch du!
Hörst du das Englein?
Fächelt die Wänglein
Dir mit den Flügelein leise zur Nacht;
Hebt dich vom Pfühle,
Trägt in der Kühle
Dich in die himmlischen Gärten voll Pracht.
Morgens dann wieder
Fliegt's mit dir nieder,
Legt dich behutsam in's Bettchen zurück,
Daß beim Erwachen,
Froh noch dir lachen,
Kindlein, die Augen vor seligem Glück.
Note: in many older editions, the spelling of the word "Äuglein" becomes "Aeuglein", but as can be seen in how "über" becomes "Ueber" when capitalized, this is due to the printing process and not to rules of orthography, so we use "Äuglein".
Composition:
Set to music by Franz Wilhelm Abt (1819 - 1885), "Wiegenlied", op. 282 no. 4, published 1873 [ soprano or tenor and piano ]
Text Authorship:
See other settings of this text.
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- ENG English (Sharon Krebs) , "Lullaby", copyright © 2026, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Research team for this page: Emily Ezust
[Administrator] , Peter Donderwinkel , Sharon Krebs
[Senior Associate Editor], Johann Winkler
This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 24
Word count: 107
Language: English after the German (Deutsch)
Twilight comes gently;
With his lambs, the moon
Is already traversing his path upon the heavens;
Wearied from singing,
The birdlets lift their wings
Toward their homey nests.
Outdoors the shimmering
Eyes of the delicate
Little flowers in the garden fall shut.
Hark, and the bells,
How they entice you:
Sleep, my rosy little child, you sleep too!
Do you hear the little angel?
With its little wings it
Quietly fans your cheeks by night;
Lifts you from your pillow,
Carrying you in the coolness
Into the heavenly gardens full of splendour.
In the morning it again
Flies down with you,
Placing you carefully back into your little bed,
So that when you wake
Your eyes, little child,
Are still smiling in blessed happiness.
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.
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Based on:
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This text was added to the website: 2026-06-09
Line count: 24
Word count: 124
