Oh, if only I could, this evening | Oh, if only I could, this evening

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from Volkslieder (Folksongs)

Translation © by Laura Prichard

Ach könnt ich diesen Abend

Language: German (Deutsch)

Our translations: CAT DUT ENG FRE

Er:
 Ach könnt ich diesen Abend
 noch einmal freien geh'n!
 Mein jung' Herz muß zerbrechen,
 kann ich nicht mit ihr sprechen,
 vor ihrem Schlaffenster steh'n.

 Ach schläfst du oder wachest du?
 sag', du mein schön' Herzlieb!
 Liegst du so schwer in Träumen,
 gedenk' an den Getreuen,
 der vor dein'm Schlaffenster steht.

Sie:
 Ich schlafe nicht, ich wache,
 ich schlafe wenn ich will.
 Du stehst wohl vor der Türe,
 es will dir nicht gebühren,
 denn du bist der Rechte nicht.

Er:
 Jetzt kann ich auch wohl wandern,
 jetzt kann ich auch wohl geh'n,
 muß wandern üb'r die Straßen,
 mein' Lieb' hat mich verlassen:
 sag' schön' Herzlieb, was hab' ich dir getan?

Text Authorship:

from Volkslieder (Folksongs) [author's text not yet checked 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 Johannes Brahms (1833 - 1897), "Ach könnt ich diesen Abend", WoO. 33 no. 26, published [1894], from Deutsche Volkslieder, no. 26, Berlin, N. Simrock [sung text checked 1 time]

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

CAT Catalan (Català) (Salvador Pila) , "Ai, si pogués encara aquest vespre", copyright © 2022, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
DUT Dutch (Nederlands) [singable] (Lau Kanen) , "Ach, kon ik deze avond", copyright © 2015, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
ENG English (Laura Prichard) , "Oh, if only I could, this evening", copyright © 2016, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
FRE French (Français) (Pierre Mathé) , "Ah si je pouvais ce soir", copyright © 2011, (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: 23
Word count: 110

Oh, if only I could, this evening

Language: English after the German (Deutsch)

He:
 Oh, if only I could, this evening,
 go out courting again!
 My young heart will break,
 if I can’t speak with her,
 standing under her bedroom window.

 Hey, are you asleep or awake?
 Tell me, my beautiful darling!
 Lying deep in your dreams,
 think on your faithful one,
 standing under your bedroom window.

She:
 I’m not asleep, I’m awake,
 I sleep when I feel like it.
 You’re definitely standing at my door,
 but that won’t do,
 since you’re not Mr. Right.

He:
 Now I can go a-roving,
 and now I can go on my way,
 I must wander the streets
 since my love has forsaken me:
 tell me, beautiful darling, what have you done?

Text Authorship:

Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2016 by Laura Prichard, (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) from Volkslieder (Folksongs)
- Go to the text page.

This text was added to the website: 2016-10-22
Line count: 23
Word count: 115