May song | The meadow is becoming greener

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by Ludwig Heinrich Christoph Hölty (1748 - 1776)

Translation © by Sharon Krebs

Mailied

(Sung text for setting by F. Schubert)

See original

Language: German (Deutsch)

Our translations: CAT DUT ENG FRE

Grüner wird die Au,
Und der Himmel blau;
Schwalben kehren wieder,
Und die Erstlingslieder
Kleiner Vögelein
Zwitschern durch den Hain.

Aus dem Blütenstrauch
Weht der Liebe Hauch:
Seit der Lenz erschienen,
Waltet sie im Grünen,
Malt die Blumen bunt,
Roth des Mädchens Mund.

Brüder, küsset ihn!
Denn die Jahre fliehn!
Einen Kuß in Ehren
Kann euch niemand wehren!
Küßt ihn, Brüder, küßt,
Weil er küßlich ist!

Seht, der Tauber girrt,
Seht, der Tauber schwirrt
Um sein liebes Täubchen!
Nehmt euch auch ein Weibchen,
Wie der Tauber thut,
Und seid wohlgemut!

This is Hölty's poem in its first version, posthumously printed in the first edition (edited by Voß). Hölty's poem exists in 6 manuscript copies, later versions differ significantly (see below).

Composition:

Franz Peter Schubert

Text Authorship:

by Ludwig Heinrich Christoph Hölty (1748 - 1776), "Mailied", written 1773, first published 1779 [an adaptation]

See other settings of this text.

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

CAT Catalan (Català) (Salvador Pila) , copyright © 2018, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
DUT Dutch (Nederlands) [singable] (Lau Kanen) , "Meilied", copyright © 2010, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
ENG English (Sharon Krebs) , "May song", copyright © 2017, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
FRE French (Français) (Guy Laffaille) , "Chant de mai", copyright © 2011, (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: 24
Word count: 92

May song

(Sung text translation for setting by F. Schubert)

See original

Language: English after the German (Deutsch)

The meadow is becoming greener,
And the sky is becoming blue;
The swallows are returning
And the first songs
Of the little birds
Warble through the grove.

From the blossoming bush
The breath of love wafts forth:
Since spring has come,
Love prevails in the greenery,
Colours the flowers with many hues,
Colours the maiden’s lips red.

Brethren, kiss them!
For the years are fleeing!
Surely no one would deny you
One honourably-bestowed kiss!
Kiss them, brethren, kiss them,
Because they are so kissable!

Lo, the male dove is cooing,
Lo, the male dove is fluttering
About his dear dove!
You, too, take a wife,
Like the male dove does,
And be of good cheer!

Text Authorship:

Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2017 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 Ludwig Heinrich Christoph Hölty (1748 - 1776), "Mailied", written 1773, first published 1779 [an adaptation]
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This text was added to the website: 2017-07-01
Line count: 24
Word count: 115