Forgetful Phillis | Phillis was asked once, why she didn't wash herself

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by Michael Richey (1678 - 1761)

Translation © by Poppy Holden

Die vergesserne Phillis

Language: German (Deutsch)

Available translation(s): ENG

Man frage Phillis einst, warum sie sich nicht wäscht
warum ihr Kleid gebrannt, und sie es nicht gelescht;
warum sie, ohne Strumpf, in vollem Putze stehet;
warum sie,  ohne Geld, so oft zu Markte gehet;
warum der Schlüssel stets auf allen Schränken steckt;
warum die Magd noch nicht um neun uhr aufgeweckt;
warum ihr Fleisch und Speck drei Jahr zu räuschern hänget;
warum sie Gelder zahlt, und keine Wahre empfänget;
warum sie kochen will, und legt kein Feuer an,
warum sie schon so alt, und hat noch keinen Mann;
warum sie Tische deckt, und hat noch nichts zu essen;
die antwort heißt gewiß: Ich hab' es nur vergessen.

Authorship:

by Michael Richey (1678 - 1761) [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 Georg Philipp Telemann (1681 - 1767), "Die vergesserne Phillis" [
text verified 1 time
]

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

ENG English (Poppy Holden) , title 1: "Forgetful Phillis", copyright ©, (re)printed on this website with kind permission

Researcher for this text: Poppy Holden

This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 12
Word count: 108

Forgetful Phillis

Language: English after the German (Deutsch)

  Phillis was asked once, why she didn't wash herself.
  Why her dress burned, and she didn't stop it;
  why she stands in full dress without stockings;
  why she so often goes to market without money;
  why she always puts the key in all the cupboards;
  why the servant is not waked up yet at nine o'clock;
  why her meat and bacon hang three years to smoke;
  why she pays funds, with no proper receipt;
  why she wants to cook, and creates no fire,
  why she is already so old, and still no man;
  why she sets the table and has still nothing to eat;
  the response is certainly: I just forgot.

Authorship:

Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © by Poppy Holden, (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.
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Based on:

a text in German (Deutsch) by Michael Richey (1678 - 1761)

This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 12
Word count: 112