by Hermann Hesse (1877 - 1962)
Translation © by Sharon Krebs

Auszug der Handwerksburschen
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Our translations:  CAT ENG FRE
Singe du, Büblein am Zaune!
Singe, Büblein, und staune
Den Wolken und dem zornigen Bach
Und uns Wandergesellen nach.

Wir müssen weiter, die Welt ist weit;
Wer weiß, wo uns ein Bett bereit,
Ein Bänklein, Schragen oder Schrein,
Zu liegen, wenn wir müde sein.

Und wer am Wege bleiben muß,
Dem sagen wir den Scheidegruß
Und wird mit Rasen zugedeckt
Und wird ein Kreuzlein draufgesteckt.

Wir suchen hier und suchen da
Die Straße nach Schlaraffia;
Bleib du daheim, du bist noch klein,
Singe du, Bübelein!

Please note: this text, provided here for educational and research use, is in the public domain in Canada and the U.S., but it may still be copyright in other legal jurisdictions. The LiederNet Archive makes no guarantee that the above text is public domain in your country. Please consult your country's copyright statutes or a qualified IP attorney to verify whether a certain text is in the public domain in your country or if downloading or distributing a copy constitutes fair use. The LiederNet Archive assumes no legal responsibility or liability for the copyright compliance of third parties.

Confirmed with Hermann Hesse, Sämtliche Werke, herausgegeben von Volker Michels, Band 10 Die Gedichte, bearbeitet von Peter Huber, Frankfurt am Main: Suhrkamp Verlag, 2002, pages 518-519.


Text Authorship:

Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):

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

  • CAT Catalan (Català) (Salvador Pila) , "Partença dels menestrals", copyright © 2023, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
  • ENG English (Sharon Krebs) , "The departure of the apprentices", copyright © 2014, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
  • FRE French (Français) (Pierre Mathé) , "Départ des apprentis", copyright © 2017, (re)printed on this website with kind permission


Researcher for this page: Sharon Krebs [Guest Editor]

This text was added to the website: 2014-10-21
Line count: 16
Word count: 85

The departure of the apprentices
Language: English  after the German (Deutsch) 
You sing, little lad by the fence!
Sing, little lad, and marvel
At the passing of the clouds and of the angry brook
And of us wandering comrades.

We must go on, the world is wide;
Who knows where a bed is ready for us,
A little bench, a trestle or cupboard,
To lie down when we are tired.

And whoever dies along the way,
For him we shall speak a farewell greeting
And he shall be covered with grass
And a cross shall be placed upon his resting place.

We seek hither and seek thither
The road to the Land of Cockaigne;
You stay at home, you are still small,
You sing, little lad!

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2014 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.
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This text was added to the website: 2014-10-21
Line count: 16
Word count: 115