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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.

from Volkslieder (Folksongs)
Translation © by Emily Ezust

Soll sich der Mond nicht heller scheinen
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Our translations:  CAT DUT ENG FRE SPA
"Soll sich der Mond nicht heller scheinen,
Soll sich die Sonn' nicht früh aufgehn,
So will ich diese Nacht gehn freien,
Wie ich zuvor auch hab' getan."

Als er wohl auf die Gasse trat,
Da fing er an ein Lied und sang,
Er sang aus schöner, aus heller Stimme,
Daß sein fein's Lieb zum Bett aussprang.

"Steh still, steh still, mein feines Lieb,
Steh still, steh still und rühr dich nicht,
Sonst weckst du Vater, sonst weckst du Mutter,
Das ist uns beiden nicht wohlgetan."

"Was frag' ich nach Vater, was frag' ich nach Mutter,
Vor deinem Schlaffenster muß ich stehn,
Ich will mein schönes Lieb anschauen,
Um das ich muß so ferne gehn."

Da standen die zwei wohl beieinander
Mit ihren zarten Mündelein,
Der Wächter blies wohl in sein Hörnelein,
Ade, es muß geschieden sein.

Ach, Scheiden, Scheiden über Scheiden,
Scheiden tut meinem jungen Herzen weh,
Daß ich mein schön Herzlieb muß meiden,
Das vergeß' ich nimmermehr.

About the headline (FAQ)

Text Authorship:

  • from Volkslieder (Folksongs) , from Karl Simrock's collection Die deutschen Volkslieder, Frankfurt am Main, first published 1851 [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 Johannes Brahms (1833 - 1897), "Vor dem Fenster", op. 14 (Acht Lieder und Romanzen) no. 1 (1858), published 1861 [ voice and piano ], Winterthur, Rieter-Biedermann [sung text checked 1 time]
  • by Johannes Brahms (1833 - 1897), "Vor dem Fenster", WoO. posth. 38 no. 19, from 20 Deutsche Volkslieder, no. 19 [sung text checked 1 time]
  • by Johannes Brahms (1833 - 1897), "Soll sich der Mond nicht heller scheinen", WoO. 33 no. 35, published [1894], from Deutsche Volkslieder, no. 35, Berlin, N. Simrock [sung text checked 1 time]

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

  • CAT Catalan (Català) (Salvador Pila) , copyright © 2022, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
  • DUT Dutch (Nederlands) [singable] (Lau Kanen) , copyright © 2014, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
  • ENG English (Emily Ezust) , no title, copyright ©
  • FRE French (Français) (Guy Laffaille) , copyright © 2010, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
  • SPA Spanish (Español) (Alfonso Sebastián) , copyright © 2021, (re)printed on this website with kind permission


Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]

This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 24
Word count: 158

If the moon doesn't shine more brightly
Language: English  after the German (Deutsch) 
"If the moon doesn't shine more brightly,
If the sun doesn't rise early,
Then I will this night go courting,
As I have done before."

When he had stepped out into the street,
There he began a song, and sang;
He sang with a beautiful, bright voice,
So that his sweetheart sprang out of her bed.

"Be still, be still, my sweetheart!
Be still, be still, and do not stir,
Or you'll wake up Father or Mother,
And that is not good for either of us!"

"What do I care for your father or mother?
In front of your bedroom window I must stand.
I want to gaze upon my pretty love,
For whose sake I must go so far away."

The two stood side by side,
With their gentle little mouths;
Then the watchman blew his horn.
Adieu - we must part!

Parting, parting time again,
Parting hurts my young heart so!
That I am forced to flee from my pretty darling,
I will never forget.

About the headline (FAQ)

Translation of title "Vor dem Fenster" = "At the window"

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,
    from the LiederNet Archive

    For any other purpose, please write to the e-mail address below to request permission and discuss possible fees.
    licenses@email.lieder.example.net

Based on:

  • a text in German (Deutsch) from Volkslieder (Folksongs) , from Karl Simrock's collection Die deutschen Volkslieder, Frankfurt am Main, first published 1851
    • Go to the text page.

 

This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 24
Word count: 166

Gentle Reminder

This website began in 1995 as a personal project by Emily Ezust, who has been working on it full-time without a salary since 2008. Our research has never had any government or institutional funding, so if you found the information here useful, please consider making a donation. Your help is greatly appreciated!
–Emily Ezust, Founder

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