by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749 - 1832)
Translation © by Emily Ezust

Der Goldschmiedsgesell
 (Sung text for setting by F. Schubert)
 See original
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Our translations:  CAT DUT ENG FRE ITA
Es ist doch meine Nachbarin
Ein allerliebstes Mädchen!
Wie früh ich in der Werkstatt bin,
Blick' ich nach ihrem Lädchen.

 ... 

Ich feile; wohl zerfeil' ich dann
Auch manches goldne Drätchen.
Der Meister brummt, der harte Mann!
Er merkt, es war das Lädchen.

Und flugs wie nur der Handel still,
Gleich greift sie nach dem Rädchen.
Ich weiß wohl, was sie spinnen will:
Es hofft das liebe Mädchen.

Das kleine Füßchen tritt und tritt:
Da denk' ich mir das Wädchen,
Das Strumpfband denk' ich auch wohl mit,
Ich schenkt's dem lieben Mädchen.

Und nach den Lippen führt der Schatz
Das allerfeinste Fädchen.
O wär ich doch an seinem Platz,
Wie küßt' ich mir das Mädchen!

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

Composition:

    Set to music by Franz Peter Schubert (1797 - 1828), "Der Goldschmiedsgesell", D 560 (1817), published 1850, stanzas 1,4-7 [ voice, piano ], A.Diabelli & Co., VN 8837, Wien (Nachlaß-Lieferung 48)

Text Authorship:

See other settings of this text.

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

  • CAT Catalan (Català) (Salvador Pila) , "L’aprenent d’orfebre", copyright © 2017, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
  • DUT Dutch (Nederlands) [singable] (Lau Kanen) , "De goudsmidsgezel", copyright © 2007, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
  • ENG English (Emily Ezust) , "The goldsmith's apprentice", copyright ©
  • FRE French (Français) (Guy Laffaille) , "L'apprenti de l'orfèvre", copyright © 2010, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
  • ITA Italian (Italiano) (Amelia Maria Imbarrato) , "Il garzone dell'orefice", copyright © 2010, (re)printed on this website with kind permission


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

This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 28
Word count: 161

Language: English  after the German (Deutsch) 
 My neighbour is
 a wonderful maiden!
 Early in the morning when I am in the workshop,
 how I love to gaze up at her window-shutters.

 ... 

 I file away until I suddenly file right through
 a bunch of golden links!
 The master growls, the severe man!
 He notices it was because of the window-shutters.

 And quickly, when her tasks are done,
 she grasps her spinning wheel.
 I know well why she wishes to spin:
 my dear maiden is thinking about her hopes.

 Her little foot pumps and pumps;
 I think of her calf,
 and of the garter-belt
 that I gave to my dear maiden.

 And to her lips my treasure lifts
 a fine piece of thread.
 O if only I were in its place,
 how I would kiss my sweetheart!

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

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © by Emily Ezust

    Emily Ezust permits her translations to be reproduced without prior permission for printed (not online) programs to free-admission concerts only, provided the following credit is given:

    Translation copyright © by Emily Ezust,
    from the LiederNet Archive

    For any other purpose, please write to the e-mail address below to request permission and discuss possible fees.


Based on:

Go to the general single-text view


This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 28
Word count: 183