Attention! Some of this material is not in the public domain.
It is illegal to copy and distribute our copyright-protected material without permission. It is also illegal to reprint copyright texts or translations without the name of the author or translator.
To inquire about permissions and rates, contact Emily Ezust at licenses@email.lieder.example.net
If you wish to reprint translations, please make sure you include the names of the translators in your email. They are below each translation.
Note: You must use the copyright symbol © when you reprint copyright-protected material.
Du sagtest mir es, Mutter: Er ist ein Springinsfeld! Ich würd' es dir nicht glauben, Bis ich mich krank gequält! Ja, ja, nun ist er's wirklich; Ich hatt' ihn nur verkannt! Du sagtest mir's, o Mutter: »Die Männer sind mechant!« Vor'm Dorf im Busch, als gestern Die stille Dämm'rung sank, Da rauscht' es: »Guten Abend!« Da rauscht' es: »Schönen Dank!« Ich schlich hinzu, ich horchte; Ich stand wie festgebannt: Er war's, mit einer Andern »Die Männer sind mechant!« O Mutter, welche Qualen! Es muß heraus, es muß! Es blieb nicht bloß beim Rauschen, Es blieb nicht bloß beim Gruß! Vom Gruße kam's zum Kusse, Vom Kuß zum Druck der Hand, Vom Druck, ach liebe Mutter! »Die Männer sind mechant!«
Note: Schubert received Seidl's poem in handwritten form. Seidl did not include it in his poetry editions.
Note: The Schubert complete editions (AGA and NGA) write the word méchant with e-acute, but it has originally been printed mechant and should be pronounced like that (not French) for the sake of the rhyme.
Text Authorship:
- by Johann Gabriel Seidl (1804 - 1875) [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 Franz Paul Lachner (1803 - 1890), "Die Männer sind méchant! ", op. 63 (Drei Lieder) no. 3, published 1840 [ voice and piano ], Rudolstadt, Müller [sung text not yet checked]
- by Franz Peter Schubert (1797 - 1828), "Die Männer sind mechant!", op. 95 (Vier Refrainlieder) no. 3, D 866 no. 3 (1828?), published 1828 [ voice and piano ], Thaddäus Weigl, VN 2794, Wien [sung text checked 1 time]
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- CAT Catalan (Català) (Salvador Pila) , "Els homes són dolents", copyright © 2019, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- DUT Dutch (Nederlands) [singable] (Lau Kanen) , "De mannen zijn een ramp", copyright © 2005, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- ENG English (David Gordon) , "Men are faithless", copyright ©, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- FRE French (Français) (Guy Laffaille) , "Les hommes sont méchants", copyright © 2011, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- ITA Italian (Italiano) (Ferdinando Albeggiani) , "Gli uomini sono infedeli", copyright © 2010, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Research team for this page: David Gordon , Peter Rastl [Guest Editor]
This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 24
Word count: 119
Men are faithless, you told me, mother: He's a young rascal! I wouldn't believe you Until I had tormented myself sick. Yes, now I know he really is, I'd simply misjudged him. You told me, mother: 'Men are faithless!' Yesterday, as dusk fell silently, In the grove outside the village I heard a whispered 'Good evening!' And a whispered 'Many thanks!' I crept up and listened, Stood there as if transfixed: It was he, with another - 'Men are faithless!' O mother, what torture! It must be said, it must! It didn't just stop at whispering, It didn't just stop at greetings! From greetings it went to kisses, From kisses to holding hands, From holding hands . . . ah, dear mother, 'Men are faithless!'
Text Authorship:
- Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © by David Gordon, (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 Johann Gabriel Seidl (1804 - 1875)
This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 24
Word count: 124