by Robert Burns (1759 - 1796)
Translation by Wilhelm Christoph Leonhard Gerhard (1780 - 1858)

Wha is that at my bower‑door?"
Language: Scottish (Scots) 
Our translations:  HUN
"Wha is that at my bower-door?"
"O wha is it but Findlay!"
"Then gae your gate, ye'se nae be here:"
"Indeed maun I," quo' Findlay;
"What mak' ye, sae like a thief?"
"O come and see," quo' Findlay;
"Before the morn ye'll work mischief:"
"Indeed will I," quo' Findlay.

"Gif I rise and let you in"-
"Let me in," quo' Findlay;
"Ye'll keep me waukin wi' your din;"
"Indeed will I," quo' Findlay;
"In my bower if ye should stay"-
"Let me stay," quo' Findlay;
"I fear ye'll bide till break o' day;"
"Indeed will I," quo' Findlay.

"Here this night if ye remain"-
"I'll remain," quo' Findlay;
"I dread ye'll [learn]1 the gate again;"
"Indeed will I," quo' Findlay.
"What may pass within this bower"-
"Let it pass," quo' Findlay;
"Ye maun conceal till your last hour:"
"Indeed will I," quo' Findlay.

About the headline (FAQ)

View original text (without footnotes)
1 Scott: "ken"

Glossary
maun = must
bide = remain
waukin = awake
din = noise
ken = know


Text Authorship:

  • by Robert Burns (1759 - 1796), "Indeed will I, quo' Findlay", first published 1783

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

  • CZE Czech (Čeština) (Josef Václav Sládek) , "Kdo do komůrky mé by rád?"
  • HUN Hungarian (Magyar) (Tamás Rédey) , "Ki vagy te ott a kert alatt?", copyright © 2014, (re)printed on this website with kind permission


Research team for this page: Emily Ezust [Administrator] , Iain Sneddon [Guest Editor]

This text was added to the website: 2003-11-20
Line count: 24
Word count: 144

Language: German (Deutsch)  after the Scottish (Scots) 
Our translations:  DUT ENG ENG FRE
Wer ist vor meiner Kammerthür? --
    "Ich bin es," --  ... 
Geh, schier dich fort! was suchst du hier? --
    "Gar Süßes!" --  ... 
Du kommst im Dunkeln, wie ein Dieb. --
    "So fang mich!" --  ... 
Du hast mich wohl ein wenig lieb? --
     "Von Herzen!" --  ... 

Und öffnet' ich nach deinem Wunsch! --
    "O öffne!" --  ... 
Da wär ja Schlaf und Ruhe hin; --
    "Laß hin sein!" --  ... 
Ein Tauber du im Taubenschlag! --
    "Beim Täubchen!" --  ... 
Du girrtest bis zum hellen Tag. --
    "Wohl möglich!" --  ... 

Nein! nimmer lass' ich dich herein! --
    "Thu's dennoch!" --  ... 
Du stelltest wohl dich täglich ein? --
    "Mit Freuden!" --  ... 
Wie keck du bist und was du wagst! --
    "So darf ich?" --  ... 
Daß du's nur keiner Seele sagst! --
    "Gewiß nicht!" --  ...

Composition:

    Set to music by Robert Schumann (1810 - 1856), "Unterm Fenster", op. 34 (Vier Duette) no. 3 (1840), published 1841 [ duet for soprano and tenor with piano ], Leipzig, Klemm

Text Authorship:

Based on:

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

  • DUT Dutch (Nederlands) [singable] (Lau Kanen) , copyright © 2012, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
  • ENG English (David K. Smythe) , no title, copyright ©, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
  • ENG English (Sharon Krebs) , copyright © 2017, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
  • FRE French (Français) (Guy Laffaille) , copyright © 2010, (re)printed on this website with kind permission


Research team for this page: Emily Ezust [Administrator] , Sharon Krebs [Guest Editor]

This text was added to the website: 2003-11-20
Line count: 24
Word count: 155