Beautiful is the first green of the woods

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by Friedrich Heinrich Oser (1820 - 1891)

Translation © by Sharon Krebs

Schön ist das erste Grün im Walde

(Sung text for setting by B. Randhartinger)

See original

Language: German (Deutsch)

Our translations: ENG

  Schön ist das erste Grün in dem Walde,
Lieblich der Büsche Blühn an der Halde;
  Giengest du mit, o wie wär' es doch
Tausend-, tausendmal schöner noch!

  Schön ist der Vögel wonniger Reigen,
Lieblich die Luft in den sonnigen Zweigen;
  Aber nicht strahlt mir dein Auge zurück,
Selig lächelnd des Frühlings Glück!

  Schön ist der Blumen Nicken und Grüßen,
Lieblich der Duft, den sie schicken, die Süßen!
  Du aber fehlst mir, du Ferne du!
Könnt' ich herzu dich wünschen im Nu!

  Schön wohl und lieblich ist Alles zu schauen,
Könnt' ich mit dir nur durchwallen die Auen;
  Komm denn, ach komm, eh die Blüthen verwehn,
Bald muss der Frühling, der holde, verweh'n!

Composition:

Benedikt Randhartinger

Text Authorship:

by Friedrich Heinrich Oser (1820 - 1891), "Schön ist das erste Grün in dem Walde", appears in Liederbuch, in 2. Liebeslieder, no. 217

See other settings of this text.

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

ENG English (Sharon Krebs) , copyright © 2026, (re)printed on this website with kind permission

Research team for this page: Sharon Krebs [Senior Associate Editor], Johann Winkler

This text was added to the website: 2022-07-15
Line count: 12
Word count: 88

Beautiful is the first green of the woods

(Sung text translation for setting by B. Randhartinger)

See original

Language: English after the German (Deutsch)

  Beautiful is the first green of the woods
Lovely the blossoming of the bushes at the acclivity;
  If you were walking with me, oh how it would be
Yet a thousand, thousand times more beautiful!

  Beautiful is the delightful roundelay of the birds,
Lovely the air in the sunny branches;
  But your eyes, blissfully smiling, are not 
Reflecting the happiness of springtime to me!

  Beautiful is the nodding and greeting of the flowers,
Lovely the scent that the sweet ones send forth!
  But I miss you, you distant one, you!
Could I but wish you hither in a trice!


  Beautiful, to be sure, and lovely is everything to look upon,
If I could only be rambling through the meadows with you;
  Come then, ah come, before the blossoms are scattered,
Soon springtime, lovely springtime, must be scattered!

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.
Contact: licenses@email.lieder.example.net

Based on:

a text in German (Deutsch) by Friedrich Heinrich Oser (1820 - 1891), "Schön ist das erste Grün in dem Walde", appears in Liederbuch, in 2. Liebeslieder, no. 217
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This text was added to the website: 2026-04-14
Line count: 12
Word count: 105