Es war eine schöne Jüdin
Language: German (Deutsch)
Our translations: CAT DUT ENG FRE
Es war eine schöne Jüdin,
ein wunderschönes Weib,
die hatt eine schöne Tochter,
das Haar war ihr geflochten,
zum Tanz war sie bereit.
"Ach, Mutter, liebste Mutter,
mein Herz tut mir so weh:
laß mich eine kleine Weile
spazieren auf grüner Heide,
bis daß mir beßer wird."
Die Mutter wandt den Rücken,
die Tochter sprang in die Gaß,
wo alle Schreiber saßen:
"Ach, liebster, liebster Schreiber,
mir tut mein Herz so weh."
"Wenn du dich lassest taufen,
mein Weibchen sollst du sein."
Eh ich mich lasse taufen,
lieber will ich mich versaufen
ins tiefe, tiefe Meer.
"Gut Nacht mein Vater und Mutter,
wie auch mein stolzer Bruder,
ihr seht mich nimmermehr!
Die Sonne ist untergangen
im tiefen, tiefen Meer."
About the headline (FAQ)
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):
- by Johannes Brahms (1833 - 1897), "Es war eine schöne Jüdin", WoO. 33 no. 9, published [1894], from Deutsche Volkslieder, no. 9, Berlin, N. Simrock [sung text checked 1 time]
- by Albert Levinsohn (d. c1907), "Die Judentochter", op. 12 (Vier Romanzen für 1 Singstimme mit Pianoforte) no. 3, published 1888 [ voice and piano ], Berlin, Raabe & Plothow [sung text not yet checked]
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- CAT Catalan (Català) (Salvador Pila) , copyright © 2022, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- DUT Dutch (Nederlands) [singable] (Lau Kanen) , "Er was eens een mooie joodse", copyright © 2015, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- ENG English (Laura Prichard) , copyright © 2016, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- FRE French (Français) (Pierre Mathé) , "Il y avait une belle juive", 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: 25
Word count: 119
There once was a beautiful Jewish girl
Language: English after the German (Deutsch)
There once was a beautiful Jewish girl,
a wonderfully beautiful woman,
who had a beautiful daughter,
whose hair was braided,
as if ready for a dance.
“Oh mother, dear mother,
my heart is so heavy:
let me go out for a little while
to walk on the green heath,
so that I’ll feel better.”
The mother turned her back,
the daughter sprang out into the lane,
where all the clerks sat:
“Oh, dear, dear clerk,
my heart is so heavy.”
“If you’ll allow yourself to be baptized,
you shall be my wife.”
“Before I’d be baptized,
I’d rather drown myself
in the deep, deep sea.
“Goodnight to my father and mother,
the same to my proud brother,
you’ll see me no more!
The sun has set
in the deep, deep sea.”
About the headline (FAQ)
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:
This text was added to the website: 2016-10-22
Line count: 25
Word count: 131
