Du fragst mich, Mädchen, was flüsternd der West
Vertraue den Blüthenglocken?
Warum von Zweige zu Zweig im Geäst
Die zwitschernden Vögel locken?
Warum an Knospe die Knospe sich schmiegt,
Und Wellen mit Wellen zerfließen,
Und dem Mondstrahl, der auf den Kelchen sich wiegt,
Die Violen der Nacht sich erschließen?
O thörichtes Fragen! Wem Wissen frommt,
Nicht kann ihm die Antwort fehlen;
Drum warte, mein Kind, bis die Liebe kommt,
Die wird dir Alles erzählen!
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Text Authorship:
See other settings of this text.
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- CAT Catalan (Català) (Salvador Pila) , copyright © 2016, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- DUT Dutch (Nederlands) [singable] (Lau Kanen) , copyright © 2019, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- ENG English (Sharon Krebs) , copyright © 2014, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- FRE French (Français) (Pierre Mathé) , "Le secret", copyright © 2011, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- ITA Italian (Italiano) (Ferdinando Albeggiani) , "Il segreto", copyright © 2014, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Research team for this page: Alberto Pedrotti , Sharon Krebs
[Senior Associate Editor]This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 12
Word count: 76
You ask me, maiden, what the west wind whisperingly
Confides to the flower-bells of the blossoms?
Wherefore from branch to branch in the boughs
The chirping birds entice?
Why bud snuggles up to bud,
And wave dissolves into wave,
And why the violas of the night open themselves
To the moonbeam that disports itself upon their calyces?
Oh foolish questioning! He who benefits from knowledge
Cannot lack an answer to your questions;
Therefore wait, my child, until Love comes,
Love shall tell you everything.
