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So viel Laub an der Linden ist, So viel Blüten in Düften sie treibt, So viel Holdes zu finden ist, Als der Mai auf die Rosen schreibt, Ach so viel hunderttausendmal Jauchz' ich und schau ich hinab ins Thal, Denn auf dem Platz bei der Linden, Will mich mein Schatz heut finden! Ach warum bin ich nicht schön und reich, Ach warum hab ich nicht Pracht und Gold? Daß ich mein' Schatz, an Schönheit ihr gleich, Schmücken mir könnte so wie ich wollt! Sag mir, du Linde, o sag mir an, Was ihr an [mir]1 nur gefallen kann? Weiß ja nichts Schönes zu finden [Nicht]2 an mir, noch an der Linden! Drunten im Thal, wo der Waldweg geht, Wo durch die Felsen der Wildbach bricht, Seh ich sie kommen, vom Wind umweht, O du mein [Lieben, mein Leben]3, mein Licht! Ach wie bin ich so reich, so reich, Ach, wie weiß ich nichts Schönres zugleich Als auf dem Platz an der Linden An Herrlichkeit zu finden!
About the headline (FAQ)
View original text (without footnotes)Confirmed with Otto Roquette, Liederbuch, Stuttgart und Tübingen: J.G. Cotta'scher Verlag, 1852, pages 73-74.
1 Jensen: "uns"2 Jensen: "Nichts"
3 Jensen: "Leben, mein Lieben"
Text Authorship:
- by Otto Roquette (1824 - 1896), "Das erste Stelldichein", appears in Liederbuch [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 Heinrich Esser (1818 - 1872), "Das erste Stelldichein", op. 46 no. 1, published 1855 [ voice and piano ], from Lieder-Album. 8 Lieder von O. Roquette , no. 1, Mainz, Schott [sung text not yet checked]
- by Adolf Jensen (1837 - 1879), "An der Linden", op. 35 (Sechs Lieder von O. Roquette) no. 4, published 1869 [ voice and piano ], Dresden, Hoffarth [sung text checked 1 time]
- by Friedrich August Naubert (1839 - 1897), "Das erste Stelldichein", op. 47 (Sechs Lieder für 1 Singstimme mit Pianofortebleitung) no. 6, published 1887 [ voice and piano ], Berlin, Schlesinger [sung text not yet checked]
- by Hermann Necke , "An der Linden", published 1900 [ men's chorus ], from Zwei Lieder für Männerchor, no. 1, Leipzig, Spitzner [sung text not yet checked]
- by (Peter) Nicolai von Wilm (1834 - 1911), "Das erste Stelldichein", op. 85 (Drei Lieder für 1 mittlere Singstimme mit Pianofortebegleitung) no. 3, published 1890 [ medium voice and piano ], Dresden, Hoffarth [sung text not yet checked]
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- ENG English (Emily Ezust) , "By the linden tree", copyright ©
- ENG English (Sharon Krebs) , copyright © 2017, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Research team for this page: Peter Donderwinkel , Sharon Krebs [Guest Editor]
This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 24
Word count: 166
As many leaves as the linden tree has, as many blossoms as it sends forth with sweet scents, as many lovely girls as there are to find, when May is inscribing the roses - ah! so many hundreds of thousands of times do I rejoice and look down into the valley, for in that spot by the linden tree my sweetheart wishes to meet me today! Alas, why am I not fair and rich? ah, why do I have no finery or gold? Would that I could equal my sweetheart in her beauty, would that I could adorn myself as well as I wish! Tell me, linden tree, o tell me, just what we can do to appeal to her, for I do not know how to find beauty in myself, even by the linden tree! Down there in the valley, where the wood path winds, where, through the rocks the wild brook splashes, I see her coming, blown about by the wind: o you my life, my love, my light! Ah, how will I ever be so rich, so rich, ah, when will I ever know such beauty to compare as, at that spot by the linden tree, I have found such magnificence!
Text Authorship:
- Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © by Emily Ezust
Emily Ezust permits her translations to be reproduced without prior permission for printed (not online) programs to free-admission concerts only, provided the following credit is given:
Translation copyright © by Emily Ezust,
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Based on:
- a text in German (Deutsch) by Otto Roquette (1824 - 1896), "Das erste Stelldichein", appears in Liederbuch
This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 24
Word count: 203