If it weren't for love! | Down in the green vale

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by Hans Willy Mertens (1866 - 1921)

Translation © by Sharon Krebs

Wenn nicht die Liebe wär'

Language: German (Deutsch)

Our translations: ENG

Drunten im grünen Grund 
Sass ich zur Rast 
"Dirne, so früher Stund'
Hab keine Hast!"

Rief's, und sie kam mir her, 
Lachte ganz frei: 
""Wenn nicht die Liebe wär',
Ging ich vorbei!""

Küßte den roten Mund 
Heiß, daß er brennt
"Dirne, so schöner Stund'
Möcht' ich kein End'!"

Küßt ihr die süße Mär'
Keck vom Gesicht:
""Wenn nicht die Liebe wär',
Litt' ich es nicht!""

Als ich zum Abschied bot 
Trüb meine Hand,
Hat sie mit Augen roth
Ab sich gewandt.

War ihr von Thränen schwer
Aug' und Gesicht:
""Wenn nicht die Liebe wär',
Weinte ich nicht!""

Text Authorship:

by Hans Willy Mertens (1866 - 1921) [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 Paul Hoppe (1869 - 1933), "Wenn nicht die Liebe wär'", op. 60 (Vier Lieder für 1 Singstimme mit Pianoforte) no. 1, published 1897 [ voice and piano ], Leipzig: Luckhardt's Musik-Verlag [sung text checked 1 time]
by Jenő Hubay (1858 - 1937), "Wenn nicht die Liebe wär!", op. 61 (7 Lieder) no. 1, published 1898 [ voice and piano ], Leipzig: Kiesler [sung text not yet checked]

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

ENG English (Sharon Krebs) , "If it weren't for love!", copyright © 2022, (re)printed on this website with kind permission

Researcher for this page: Sharon Krebs [Guest Editor]

This text was added to the website: 2022-10-16
Line count: 24
Word count: 97

If it weren't for love!

Language: English after the German (Deutsch)

Down in the green vale
I sat resting
"Maiden, at such an early hour,
Don't make haste!"

I called it out and she came over to me,
Laughing quite freely:
""If it weren't for love
I would walk past you!""

I kissed her red lips
Fervently, so that they burned
"Maiden, I wish that such a beautiful hour
Would never end!"

I boldly kissed the
Sweet tale from her face:
""If it weren't for love
I would not put up with it!""

When I sadly gave her
My hand in farewell,
With reddened eyes
She turned away.

Her eyes and face were
Laden with tears:
""If it weren't for love
I would not be weeping!""

Text Authorship:

Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2022 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.
Contact: licenses@email.lieder.example.net

Based on:

a text in German (Deutsch) by Hans Willy Mertens (1866 - 1921)
- Go to the text page.

This text was added to the website: 2022-10-16
Line count: 24
Word count: 115