If I were a woodland birdlet

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by Therese Albertine Luise von Jacob (1797 - 1870), as Talvj

Translation © by Sharon Krebs

Wenn ich ein Vöglein wär'

(Sung text for setting by O. Dresel)

See original

Language: German (Deutsch) after the Silesian (Schlesisch)

Our translations: ENG

Wenn ich ein Vöglein wär',
Flög ich zu dir über's Meer,
Schönster Tausendschatz zu Dir!
Aber Du bist gar weit von mir,
Und ich von Dir!

Schönster Schatz, das weißt Du wohl,
Daß ich Dich nicht lieben soll,
Weil es alle Leut' verdrießt;
Weil es alle Leut' verdrießt,
Darum lieb' ich Dich.

Unten im Gärtelein
Wächst ein schön'  Blümelein,
Blüm'lein, Vergiß mein nicht.
Ich vergesse nimmer Dein,
Vergiß nicht mein!

Composition:

Otto Dresel

Text Authorship:

by Therese Albertine Luise von Jacob (1797 - 1870), as Talvj, "Wenn ich ein Waldvöglein wär'", appears in Versuch einer geschichtlichen Charakteristik der Volkslieder germanischer Nationen mit einer Übersicht der Lieder aussereuropäischer Völkerschaften, in 2. Zweite Abtheilung. Europäische Völkerschaften., in 1. Erster Abschnitt. Germanische Völkerschaften., in 2. B. Deutsche Völkerschaften, in 1. I. Die Deutschen, in Lieder aus dem Kuhländchen, first published 1840

Based on:

a text in Silesian (Schlesisch) from Volkslieder (Folksongs) , published in J. G. Meinert's Alte teutsche Volkslieder in der Mundart des Kuhländchens (Vienna and Hamburg, 1817) [text unavailable]
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Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):

ENG English (Sharon Krebs) , copyright © 2021, (re)printed on this website with kind permission

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

This text was added to the website: 2008-04-10
Line count: 15
Word count: 78

If I were a birdlet

(Sung text translation for setting by O. Dresel)

See original

Language: English after the German (Deutsch)

If I were a birdlet,
I would fly to you across the sea,
To you, my loveliest darling!
But you are far away from me,
And I from you!

Loveliest darling, you know it well,
That I am not to love you
Because it upsets everyone;
Because it upsets everyone,
That is why I love you.

Down in the little garden
A beautiful flowerlet grows,
The flowerlet forget-me-not,
I shall never forget you,
Do not forget me either!

Text Authorship:

Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2021 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 Therese Albertine Luise von Jacob (1797 - 1870), as Talvj, "Wenn ich ein Waldvöglein wär'", appears in Versuch einer geschichtlichen Charakteristik der Volkslieder germanischer Nationen mit einer Übersicht der Lieder aussereuropäischer Völkerschaften, in 2. Zweite Abtheilung. Europäische Völkerschaften., in 1. Erster Abschnitt. Germanische Völkerschaften., in 2. B. Deutsche Völkerschaften, in 1. I. Die Deutschen, in Lieder aus dem Kuhländchen, first published 1840
- Go to the text page.

Based on:

a text in Silesian (Schlesisch) from Volkslieder (Folksongs) , published in J. G. Meinert's Alte teutsche Volkslieder in der Mundart des Kuhländchens (Vienna and Hamburg, 1817) [text unavailable]
- Go to the text page.

Go to the general single-text view

This text was added to the website: 2021-06-27
Line count: 15
Word count: 83