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Wer ist vor meiner Kammerthür? --
"Ich bin es," -- [sagte Finlay. --]1
Geh, [pack']2 dich fort! was suchst du hier? --
"Gar Süßes!" -- [sagte Finlay --]1
Du kommst im Dunkeln, wie ein Dieb. --
"So fang mich!" -- [sagte Finlay. --]1
Du hast mich wohl ein wenig lieb? --
"Von Herzen!" -- [sagte Finlay. --]1
Und öffnet' ich nach deinem [Sinn]3 --
"O öffne!" -- [flehte Finlay --]1
Da wär ja Schlaf und Ruhe hin; --
"Laß hin sein!" -- [sagte Finlay. --]1
Ein Tauber du im Taubenschlag! --
"Beim Täubchen!" -- [sagte Finlay. --]1
Du girrtest bis zum hellen Tag. --
"Wohl möglich!" -- [sagte Finlay. --]1
Nein! nimmer lass' ich dich herein! --
"Thu's dennoch!" -- [flehte Finlay --]1
Du stelltest wohl dich täglich ein? --
"Mit Freuden!" -- [sagte Finlay --]1
Wie keck du bist und was du wagst! --
"So darf ich?" -- [fragte Finlay --]1
Daß du's nur keiner Seele sagst! --
"Gewiß nicht!" -- [sagte Finlay. --]1
About the headline (FAQ)
View original text (without footnotes)Confirmed with Robert Burns’ Gedichte, deutsch von W. Gerhard, Leipzig: Verlag von Joh. Ambr. Barth., 1840, page2 161-162
1 omitted by Schumann2 Schumann: "schier"
3 Schumann: "Wunsch!"
Text Authorship:
- by Wilhelm Christoph Leonhard Gerhard (1780 - 1858), "Der kecke Finlay" [author's text checked 1 time against a primary source]
Based on:
- a text in Scottish (Scots) by Robert Burns (1759 - 1796), "Indeed will I, quo' Findlay", first published 1783
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
- by Robert Schumann (1810 - 1856), "Unterm Fenster", op. 34 (Vier Duette) no. 3 (1840), published 1841 [ duet for soprano and tenor with piano ], Leipzig, Klemm [sung text checked 1 time]
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- DUT Dutch (Nederlands) [singable] (Lau Kanen) , copyright © 2012, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- ENG English (David K. Smythe) , no title, copyright ©, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- ENG English (Sharon Krebs) , copyright © 2017, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- FRE French (Français) (Guy Laffaille) , copyright © 2010, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Research team for this page: Emily Ezust [Administrator] , Sharon Krebs [Guest Editor]
This text was added to the website: 2003-11-20
Line count: 24
Word count: 155
Who stands before the door of my chamber? --
"It is I," -- [said Finlay. --]1
Go take yourself off! what do you want here? --
"Something sweet!" -- [said Finlay --]1
You come in darkness like a thief. --
"Well, catch me then!" -- [said Finlay. --]1
I suppose you love me a little? --
"With all my heart!" -- [said Finlay. --]1
And if I opened [the door] as you would [like]2 --
"Oh open it!" -- [pleaded Finlay --]1
That would be the end of sleep and rest; --
"Let it be thus!" -- [said Finlay. --]1
You’re like a cock-pigeon in a dovecote! --
"With the little dove!" -- [said Finlay. --]1
You would coo until the bright day [dawns]. --
"Quite possibly!" -- [said Finlay. --]1
No! I shall never let you in! --
"Do it anyway!" -- [pleaded Finlay --]1
You would turn up every single day? --
"Gladly!" -- [said Finlay --]1
How audacious you are and how much you dare! --
"May I then?" -- [asked Finlay --]1
Only don’t you tell a soul! --
"Definitely not!" -- [said Finlay. --]1
About the headline (FAQ)
View original text (without footnotes)Translations of title(s):
"Unterm Fenster" = "Under the window"
"Der kecke Finlay" = "Audacious Finlay"
2 Schumann: "wish"
Text Authorship:
- Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2017 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.
Contact: licenses@email.lieder.example.net
Based on:
- a text in German (Deutsch) by Wilhelm Christoph Leonhard Gerhard (1780 - 1858), "Der kecke Finlay"
Based on:
- a text in Scottish (Scots) by Robert Burns (1759 - 1796), "Indeed will I, quo' Findlay", first published 1783
This text was added to the website: 2017-08-25
Line count: 24
Word count: 178