Mein Schäfer, ach! der ist bescheiden!
Er liebt mich, zärtlich liebt er mich;
Der Inbegriff von seinen Freuden,
Sagt er mir [öfters]1, sei nur ich.
Doch [ist er allezeit]2 bescheiden.

Jüngst ließ die Mutter uns [alleine]3:
Was denkst du, ist alsdann geschehn?
Da stand er starr gleich einem Steine,
Guckt in den Hut und wollte gehn;
Und ach, wir waren ganz alleine!

View original text (without footnotes)
Note for line 1-3: in an earlier edition of Marx's score, this was "von seiner"
¹ Marx: "öfter"
² Marx: "bleibt er alle Zeit"
³ Marx: "allein"

The text shown is a variant of another text. [ View differences ]
It is based on

• a text in German (Deutsch) by Christian Felix Weisse (1726 - 1804), "Der bescheidne Schäfer"
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Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):

• by Joseph Marx (1882 - 1964), "Der bescheidene Schäfer", 1910, published 1911 [ soprano and piano ], in Lieder und Gesänge, II. Folge, Nr. 3, also set in English [sung text checked 1 time]
• by Max Reger (1873 - 1916), "Der bescheidene Schäfer", op. 97 (Vier Lieder) no. 4 (1906) [sung text checked 1 time]

Settings in other languages, adaptations, or excerpts:

• Also set in English, a translation by John Bernhoff (flourished 1890-1912) ; composed by Joseph Marx.
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Other available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):

• CAT Catalan (Català) (Salvador Pila) , "El pastor tímid", copyright © 2023, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
• FRE French (Français) (Guy Laffaille) , "Le berger timide", copyright © 2016, (re)printed on this website with kind permission

Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]

This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 10
Word count: 62

My lover's shy, almost to sadness!
He loves me; daily this his moan:
My soul's delight art thou, its gladness!
I love but thee, love, thee alone!
And yet he's shy, almost to sadness.

Once mother left us two alone.
What think you that he did, ah no!
He stood there stiff, as carved in stone,
And stared at his hat, said: "I must go!"
Just think! And we were all alone! (O!)