by Christian Adolf Overbeck (1755 - 1821)
Translation © by Emily Ezust

Sehnsucht nach dem Frühling(e)
 (Sung text for setting by W. Mozart)
 See base text
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Our translations:  CAT DUT ENG FIN FRE ITA LIT
Komm, lieber Mai, und mache
Die Bäume wieder grün,
Und laß mir an dem Bache
Die kleinen Veilchen blühn!
Wie möcht ich doch so gerne
Ein Veilchen wieder sehn,
Ach, lieber Mai, wie gerne
Einmal spazieren gehn!

Zwar Wintertage haben
Wohl auch der Freuden viel;
Man kann im Schnee eins traben
Und treibt manch Abendspiel,
Baut Häuserchen von Karten,
Spielt Blindekuh und Pfand;
Auch gibt's wohl Schlittenfahrten
Auf's liebe freie Land.

 ... 

Ach, wenn's doch erst gelinder
Und grüner draußen wär!
Komm, lieber Mai, wir Kinder,
Wir bitten dich gar sehr!
O komm und bring vor allen
Uns viele Veilchen mit,
Bring auch viel Nachtigallen
Und schöne Kuckucks mit!

Note: the text above is taken from stanzas 1-2,5 of the original text.

Composition:

    Set to music by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756 - 1791), "Sehnsucht nach dem Frühling(e)", K. 596 (1791), stanzas 1-2,5

Text Authorship:

See other settings of this text.

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

  • CAT Catalan (Català) (Salvador Pila) , copyright © 2015, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
  • DUT Dutch (Nederlands) [singable] (Lau Kanen) , "Verlangen naar de lente", copyright © 2011, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
  • ENG English (Emily Ezust) , "Come, dear May, and make the trees green again", copyright ©
  • FIN Finnish (Suomi) (Erkki Pullinen) , "Kevään kaipuu", copyright © 2009, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
  • FRE French (Français) (Guy Laffaille) , "Nostalgie du printemps", copyright © 2010, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
  • ITA Italian (Italiano) (Ferdinando Albeggiani) , "Vieni, amato maggio", copyright © 2010, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
  • LIT Lithuanian (Lietuvių kalba) (Giedrius Prunskus) , copyright © 2023, (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: 40
Word count: 184

Come, dear May, and make the trees green again
 (Sung text translation for setting by W. Mozart)
 See original
Language: English  after the German (Deutsch) 
 Come, dear May, and make
 the trees green again,
 and by the brook, let
 the little violets bloom for me!
 How I would love 
 to see a violet again -
 ah, dear May, how gladly
 I would take a walk!

 It is true that winter days have
 much joy as well:
 one can trot in the snow
 and play many games in the evening;
 build little houses of cards,
 play blind-man's-buff and forfeits;
 also go tobogganing
 in the lovely open countryside.

 ... 

 Ah, if only it would grow milder
 and greener out there!
 Come, dear may! we children,
 we beg you!
 O come and bring for us, before anyone else,
 lots of violets!
 Bring also lots of nightingales
 and pretty cuckoos!

Note: the text above is taken from stanzas 1-2,5 of the original text.

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © by Emily Ezust

    Emily Ezust permits her translations to be reproduced without prior permission for printed (not online) programs to free-admission concerts only, provided the following credit is given:

    Translation copyright © by Emily Ezust,
    from the LiederNet Archive

    For any other purpose, please write to the e-mail address below to request permission and discuss possible fees.


Based on:

Go to the general single-text view


This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 40
Word count: 204