Es war ein Knabe gezogen
Wohl in die Welt hinaus,
Und ob ihm sein [Schatz auch gewogen]1,
Das Glück, das Glück war aus.
    Er wanderte weit
    In Sommerzeit
Wenn am Walde die Rosen blühn.

"Was bist du so hoch geboren,
Und [ich nur ein]2 armer Knab'?
Die Liebe, die Lieb' ist verloren,
Die Welt [ist leer wie]3 ein Grab!
    Was soll mir [mein]4 Leid
    Die Sommerzeit
Wenn am Walde die Rosen blühn!"

Das Mägdlein barg [seine]5 Klagen
Im stillen Kämmerlein,
Und durfte sie's Keinem sagen,
Sie hoffte jahraus, jahrein.
    Sah über die Haid'
    In Sommerzeit,
Wenn am Walde die Rosen blühn.

Es kam ein Reiter geflogen,
Seine Locken wehten im Wind,
Und bist du [mir heut' noch]6 gewogen,
Herzallerliebstes Kind?
    Vergiß [dein]7 Leid
    In Sommerzeit,
Wenn am Walde die Rosen blühn!

Er hielt sie in seinen Armen,
Ihr Herz in Wonne schlug,
Und hatte die Welt nicht Erbarmen,
Die Liebe war stark genug!
    Und sie lachten Beid'
    Wie die Sommerzeit,
Wenn am Walde die Rosen blüh'n!

About the headline (FAQ)

View original text (without footnotes)

Confirmed with Otto Roquette, Hans Haidekuckuck, Berlin: Verlag von Heinrich Schindler, 1855, pages 197-199.

¹ Würst: "Schatz gewogen"
² Würst: "ich ein"
³ Würst: "ist wie"
⁴ Würst: "im"
⁵ Würst: "ihre"
⁶ Würst: "mir noch"
⁷ Würst: "das"

Text Authorship:

• by Otto Roquette (1824 - 1896), no title, appears in Hans Haidekuckuck, in 7. Die Nachbarsgärten, Berlin: Verlag von Heinrich Schindler, first published 1855 [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 Alwin Höffer , "Wenn im Wald die Rosen blüh'n", op. 17, published 1890 [ voice and piano ], from Drei Lieder für 1 Singstimme mit Pianoforte, no. 1, Dresden, Brauer [sung text not yet checked]
• by Carl Julius Schmidt (1851 - 1917), "Es war ein Knabe gezogen", op. 10 (Vier Lieder für Männerchor) no. 3, published 1892 [ men's chorus a cappella ], Zürich, Fries [sung text not yet checked]
• by Michael Eduard Surläuly (1844 - 1902), "Heimkehr", published 1900 [ men's chorus ], from Drei Lieder für Männerchor, no. 3, Bremen, Schweers [sung text not yet checked]
• by Richard Ferdinand Wüerst (1824 - 1881), "Es war ein Knabe gezogen", op. 32 (Zwei zweistimmige Lieder für Sopran und Alt mit Pianoforte) no. 2, published 1860 [ vocal duet for soprano and alto with piano ], Berlin, Bahn [sung text checked 1 time]

Settings in other languages, adaptations, or excerpts:

• Also set in German (Deutsch), [adaptation] ; composed by Ferdinand Kamm.
  • Go to the text.
    

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

• ENG English (Sharon Krebs) , copyright © 2019, (re)printed on this website with kind permission

Research team for this page: Emily Ezust [Administrator] , Sharon Krebs [Guest Editor] , Johann Winkler

This text was added to the website: 2019-01-02
Line count: 35
Word count: 174

A young lad had travelled
Out into the world,
And though his darling was favourably inclined to him,
Good fortune, good fortune was gone.
    He wandered far
    In summertime
When the roses bloom along the forest.

"Why are you of such high birth,
And I only a poor lad?
Love, love is lost,
The world is as empty as a grave!
    Of what use is my sorrow to me
    All summer long
When the roses bloom along the forest."

The maiden concealed her lamenting
In her quiet chamber,
And though she could tell no one,
She kept hoping year after year.
    Gazed over the heath
    In summertime
When the roses bloom along the forest.

A rider came a-flying,
His curls blew in the wind,
And are you still favourably inclined to me today,
Most beloved child?
    Forget your distress
    In summertime,
When the roses bloom along the forest!

He held her in his arms,
Her heart beat in rapture,
And though the world had no mercy,
Love was strong enough!
    And they both laughed
    Like summertime,
When the roses bloom along the forest.