Little rose of autumn | Little rose, my little rose, why do you sparkle thus?

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by Friedrich Heinrich Oser (1820 - 1891)

Translation © by Sharon Krebs

Herbströslein

Language: German (Deutsch)

Our translations: ENG

  Röslein, mein Röslein, was blitzest du so? --
Ei, vor Freude, vor Freude lach' ich so froh! 
  Wohl ist der Sommer vergangen, 
  Doch sieh, wie der Herbst thut prangen, 
  Wie die Thäler und Höhn 
  Noch so schön, noch so schön!
Ward es auch stiller auf der Flur,
Andächtiger schaue die Pracht ich nur!
  Kann nicht lassen meinen fröhlichen, heiteren Muth, 
  Ist die Welt ja so hold noch, und Gott so gut!

  Röslein, mein Röslein, und banget dir nicht? --
Soll mir bangen? wie strahlen die Berge so licht! 
  Heut noch sind grün ja die Auen, 
  So grün, nicht laß' ich mir grauen, 
  Nein, ich freue mich fort, 
  Wallt der Nebel auch dort!
Zeit ist's noch immer für Ach und Weh,
Wenn der Sturm mich umbraust und mich deckt der Schnee!
  Muß mich freuen, muß mich freuen, so lang ich kann, 
  Kommt die Noth, es wird Gott wohl noch sorgen auch dann!

Confirmed with Liederbuch von Friedrich Oser, 1842-1874. Mit einem biographischen Verzeichnis der Componisten, Basel: Benno Schwabe, Verlagsbuchhandlung, 1875, pages 120-121.

Text Authorship:

by Friedrich Heinrich Oser (1820 - 1891), "Herbströslein", appears in Liederbuch, in 1. Naturlieder, no. 136 [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 Franz Wilhelm Abt (1819 - 1885), "Herbströslein", op. 443 (Sechs Gesänge für gemischten Chor) no. 3, published 1874 [ SATB chorus a cappella ], Leipzig, Siegel [sung text not yet checked]
by Max Filke , "Herbströslein", op. 30, published 1892 [ satb chorus ], Leipzig: Siegel [sung text not yet checked]

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

ENG English (Sharon Krebs) , "Little rose of autumn", copyright © 2025, (re)printed on this website with kind permission

Researcher for this page: Sharon Krebs [Senior Associate Editor]

This text was added to the website: 2025-08-23
Line count: 20
Word count: 150

Little rose of autumn

Language: English after the German (Deutsch)

  Little rose, my little rose, why do you sparkle thus? --
Ah, for happiness, for happiness I laugh so joyfully!
  To be sure, summer has passed,
  But see how autumn stands resplendent,
  How the valleys and heights
  [Are] still so beautiful, so beautiful!
Though it has become quieter upon the meadow,
I only gaze upon the splendour more devoutly!
  I cannot let go of my happy, cheerful spirit,
  For the world is still so lovely and God [still] so good!

  Little rose, my little rose, and are you not anxious? --
I should be anxious? how brightly the mountains gleam!
  Today the leas are still green,
  So green, I shall not let myself feel dread,
  No, I continue to be happy
  Though the mists are swirling yonder!
There will always be time yet for sighing and woe,
When the storm roars about me and snow covers me!
  I must be happy, must be happy as long as I can,
  When sorrow comes, God shall surely still care for me even then!

Text Authorship:

Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2025 by Sharon Krebs, (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 Friedrich Heinrich Oser (1820 - 1891), "Herbströslein", appears in Liederbuch, in 1. Naturlieder, no. 136
- Go to the text page.

This text was added to the website: 2025-10-04
Line count: 20
Word count: 170