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Bin jung gewesen, Kann auch [mit reden]1, Und alt geworden, Drum gilt mein Wort. Schön reife Beeren Am Bäumchen hangen: Nachbar, da hilft kein Zaun um den Garten; Lustige Vögel Wissen den Weg. Aber, mein Dirnchen, Du laß dir rathen: Halte dein Schätzchen Wohl in der Liebe, Wohl in Respekt! Mit den zwei Fädlein In Eins gedrehet, Ziehst du am kleinen Finger ihn nach. Aufrichtig Herze, Doch schweigen können, Früh mit der Sonne Muthig zur Arbeit, Gesunde Glieder, Saubere Linnen, Das machet Mädchen Und Weibchen werth. Bin jung gewesen, Kann auch mit reden, Und alt geworden, Drum gilt mein Wort.
About the headline (FAQ)
View text without footnotes1 modernizes to "mitreden"
Text Authorship:
- by Eduard Mörike (1804 - 1875), "Rath einer Alten" [author's text checked 1 time against a primary source]
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
- by Alfred Valentin Heuß (1877 - 1934), "Rat einer Alten" [sung text not yet checked]
- by Otto Scherzer (1821 - 1886), "Rath einer Alten", op. 4 (Sechs Lieder für Tenor (oder Sopran) mit Pianofortebleitung) no. 3, published 1887 [ tenor or soprano and piano ], Leipzig, Grunow [sung text not yet checked]
- by Fritz Franz Schieri (1922 - 2009), "Rat einer Alten", 1993 [ female voice and piano ] [sung text not yet checked]
- by Hugo Wolf (1860 - 1903), "Rat einer Alten", from Mörike-Lieder, no. 41
Score: IMSLP [external link] [sung text checked 1 time]
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- CAT Catalan (Català) (Salvador Pila) , copyright © 2019, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- ENG English (Emily Ezust) , "The advice of an old woman", copyright ©
- FRE French (Français) (Stéphane Goldet) (Pierre de Rosamel) , "Conseil d'une ancienne", copyright © 2012, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- ITA Italian (Italiano) (Ferdinando Albeggiani) , "Consigli di una vecchia", copyright © 2013, (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: 31
Word count: 102
I was young once, and can also put in a word, and now I've become old, so my words are important. Fair ripe berries hang from the tree: neighbors, it does not help to put a fence around the garden, for merry birds will know the way. Yet, my young lady, take my advice: hold your sweetheart well in love, well in respect! With these two little threads spun into one, you will lead him by one little finger. Sincere of heart, yet able to keep quiet, awake with the sun and merry at work, with healthy limbs and clean linen - this makes a maiden and a wife of worth. I was young once, and can also put in a word, and now I've become old, so my words are important.
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,
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Based on:
- a text in German (Deutsch) by Eduard Mörike (1804 - 1875), "Rath einer Alten"
This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 31
Word count: 131