Phidile | I was just sixteen summers old

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by Matthias Claudius (1740 - 1815)

Translation © by Malcolm Wren

Phidile

(Sung text for setting by J. Kraus)

See original

Language: German (Deutsch)

Our translations: CAT DUT ENG FRE

Ich war erst sechszehn Sommer alt,
  Unschuldig und nichts weiter,
Und kannte nichts als unsern Wald,
  Als Blumen, Gras und Kräuter.

Da kam ein fremder Jüngling her;
  Ich hatt' ihn nicht verschrieben,
Und wußte nicht wo hin noch her;
  Der kam und sprach von Lieben.

 ... 

Sein Auge, himmelblau und klar!
  Schien freundlich was zu flehen;
So blau und freundlich, als das war,
  Hab ich noch kein's gesehen.

Und sein Gesicht, wie Milch und Blut!
  Ich hab's nie so gesehen;
Auch, was er sagte, war sehr gut,
  Nur konnt' ichs nicht verstehen.

 ... 

Ich sah' ihn einmahl freundlich an,
  Und fragte, was er meynte;
Da fiel der junge schöne Mann
  Mir um den Hals, und weinte.

Das hatte Niemand noch gethan;
  Doch war's mir nicht zuwieder,
Und meine beyden Augen sahn
  In meinen Busen nieder.

Ich sagt' ihm nicht ein einzig Wort,
  Als ob ichs übel nähme,
Kein einzigs, und - er flohe fort;
  Wenn er doch wieder käme!

Note: the text above is taken from stanzas 1-2,4-5,7-9 of the original text.

First published 1771 in a slightly different form in Göttinger Musenalmanach, see below.

See also Bürger's poem Robert, which refers to this poem.

Composition:

Joseph Martin Kraus

Text Authorship:

by Matthias Claudius (1740 - 1815), "Phidile", first published 1771

See other settings of this text.

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

CAT Catalan (Català) (Salvador Pila) , "Phidile", copyright © 2018, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
DUT Dutch (Nederlands) [singable] (Lau Kanen) , "Phidile", copyright © 2007, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
ENG English (Malcolm Wren) , "Phidile", copyright © 2018, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
FRE French (Français) (Guy Laffaille) , "Phidile", copyright © 2011, (re)printed on this website with kind permission

Research team for this page: Emily Ezust [Administrator] , Richard Morris , Peter Rastl [Guest Editor] , Johann Winkler

This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 36
Word count: 203

Phidile

(Sung text translation for setting by J. Kraus)

See original

Language: English after the German (Deutsch)

I was just sixteen summers old,
Nothing but innocent,
And I knew nothing but our wood,
Nothing but our flowers, trees and herbs.

Then along came a young man, a stranger;
I had not summoned him,
And I did not know where he might be from;
Along he came and spoke of love.

 ... 

His eyes, sky blue and clear!
They appeared to be asking for something in a friendly way,
Such blue and friendly eyes as that,
I have never seen any like that.

And his face, like milk and blood!
I have never seen anything like it;
Also, what he said was very good,
Except I couldn't understand it.

 ... 

I gave him a single friendly glance
And asked what his intentions were;
Then the beautiful young man fell
Around my neck and started crying.

Nobody had ever done that before;
But I didn't object to it,
And both my eyes looked
Down into my bosom.

I didn't say a single word to him
That might have given him the idea I had taken it badly,
Not a single word, and he fled away;
If only he would come back!

Note: the text above is taken from stanzas 1-2,4-5,7-9 of the original text.

Text Authorship:

Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2018 by Malcolm Wren, (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 Matthias Claudius (1740 - 1815), "Phidile", first published 1771
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This text was added to the website: 2018-01-07
Line count: 36
Word count: 230