Männer suchen stets zu naschen,
Läßt man sie allein,
Leicht sind Mädchen zu erhaschen,
[Weiß]1 man sie zu überraschen;
Soll das [zu verwundern]2 sein?
[Mädchen]3 haben frisches Blut,
Und das Naschen schmeckt so gut.

Doch das Naschen vor dem Essen
Nimmt den Appetit.
Manche kam, die das vergessen,
Um den Schatz, den sie besessen,
Und um ihren Liebsten mit.
Väter, läßt's euch Warnung sein:
[Sperrt die Zuckerplätzchen ein!
Sperrt die jungen Mädchen ein!]4

View original text (without footnotes)
¹ Marx: "Sucht"
² Marx: "zum Verwundern"
³ Marx: "Mädel"
⁴ Marx: "Sperrt die jungen Mädchen ein,/ Sperrt die Zuckerplätzchen ein!"

Text Authorship:

• from Volkslieder (Folksongs)  [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 Joseph Marx (1882 - 1964), "Warnung", 1909, published 1910 [ high voice and piano ], in Lieder und Gesänge, I. Folge, Nr. 26 [sung text checked 1 time]
• by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756 - 1791), "Warnung", K. 433, K. 416c [sung text checked 1 time]
• by Max Reger (1873 - 1916), "Warnung", op. 104 (Sechs Lieder) no. 2 (1907) [sung text not yet checked]

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

• CAT Catalan (Català) (Salvador Pila) , "Advertiment", copyright © 2023, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
• DUT Dutch (Nederlands) [singable] (Lau Kanen) , "Waarschuwing", copyright © 2012, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
• ENG English (Emily Ezust) , "Warning", copyright ©
• FRE French (Français) (Guy Laffaille) , "Avertissement", copyright © 2012, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
• ITA Italian (Italiano) (Amelia Maria Imbarrato) , "Avvertimento", copyright © 2006, (re)printed on this website with kind permission

Research team for this page: Emily Ezust [Administrator] , Peter Rastl [Guest Editor]

This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 15
Word count: 73

 Men are always searching for something to nibble;
 if one leaves them alone
 they'll easily find a maiden to snatch,
 for they know how to surprise them;
 and should it be any wonder?
 maidens are fresh-blooded,
 and these snacks taste so good.
 
 But a snack before the meal
 can ruin one's appetite.
 Many who forget this
 lose both the treasure they possess
 and their beloved with it.
 Fathers, let this be a warning to you:
 lock up your sugarcandies!
 Lock up your young girls!