In the green Maytime, in the green Maytime

Attention! Some of this material is not in the public domain.

It is illegal to copy and distribute our copyright-protected material without permission. It is also illegal to reprint copyright texts or translations without the name of the author or translator.

To inquire about permissions and rates, contact Emily Ezust at licenses@email.lieder.example.net

If you wish to reprint translations, please make sure you include the names of the translators in your email. They are below each translation.

Note: You must use the copyright symbol © when you reprint copyright-protected material.

by Otto Inkermann (1823 - 1862), as C. O. Sternau

Translation © by Sharon Krebs

Im grünen Mai

(Sung text for setting by E. Degele)

See original

Language: German (Deutsch)

Our translations: ENG

Im grünen Mai, im grünen Mai,
Wenn Veilchen blüh'n im grünen Mai, 
Hol' ich mein Lieb, hol' ich mein Lieb
Wohl aus dem fernen Land herbei;
Du schöner Mai, o komm' heran,
Daß ich mein Liebchen mir holen kann!

Wenn's Frühling ist, wenn's Frühling ist,
wenn mich der Frühling wieder grüßt,
Dann wird mein Lieb', ja wird mein Lieb'
Auf seinen rothen Mund geküsst;
Du schöner Mai, o komm' heran,
Daß ich mein Liebchen bald freien kann!

Mein liebes Lieb', mein liebes Lieb',
O bleib' mir gut, wenn's Veilchen blau,
Wenn grün der Mai, wenn's Röslein roth,
Dann frei' ich dich, du liebste Frau;
O sel'ge Zeit, komm' bald heran, 
Daß ich mein Liebchen bald freien kann.

Composition:

Eugen Degele

Text Authorship:

by Otto Inkermann (1823 - 1862), as C. O. Sternau, no title, appears in Lieder im Volkstone, no. 3

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: Emily Ezust [Administrator] , Johann Winkler

This text was added to the website: 2020-02-29
Line count: 18
Word count: 120

In the green Maytime

(Sung text translation for setting by E. Degele)

See original

Language: English after the German (Deutsch)

In the green Maytime, in the green Maytime,
When violets bloom in the green Maytime,
I shall fetch my love, I shall fetch my love
To me from the distant land;
You beautiful May, oh come hither
That I may fetch me my darling!

When it's springtime, when it's springtime,
When springtime greets me once more,
Then my beloved, yes my beloved 
Shall be kissed upon her red lips:
You beautiful May, oh come along,
So that I may soon marry my darling!

My dear beloved, my dear beloved,
I remain fond of me when the violets are blue,
When Maytime is green, when the rose is red,
Then I shall marry you, you dearest of women;
Oh blissful time, come along soon,
That I may soon marry my darling.

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 Otto Inkermann (1823 - 1862), as C. O. Sternau, no title, appears in Lieder im Volkstone, no. 3
- Go to the text page.

Go to the general single-text view

This text was added to the website: 2026-02-08
Line count: 18
Word count: 139