Der Wanderbursche
Language: German (Deutsch)
Ein Wanderbursche ruhet
Am schattigen, grünen Rain,
Und schaut so trüb und traurig
In's blumige Gras hinein.
Und war so froh und heiter
Gezogen doch von Haus,
Und hatte gejauchzt und gesungen
In's blühende Land hinaus!
So stark war er geblieben,
Als schluchzend ihm zum Pfand
Die Mutter gegeben den Segen,
Und ihm gedrückt die Hand.
Und als ihn gefragt die Liebste:
Ach, bleibst du mir treu und gut?
Nur lachend hatte geküsset
Er sie mit keckem Muth,
Und als er mit den Gesellen
Den letzten Trunk gethan,
Wie hatte mit hellem Jauchzen
Er noch gestoßen an!
Wie kommt's nun, daß er sinnend
Muß in die Ferne sehn,
Und gar die hellen Thränen
Ihm in den Augen stehn?
Des lieben Heimathlandes
Gedenkt das junge Blut:
Weiß nun der muntre Bursche,
Wie weh das Heimweh thut!
Confirmed with Liederbuch von Friedrich Oser, 1842-1874. Mit einem biographischen Verzeichnis der Componisten, Basel: Benno Schwabe, Verlagsbuchhandlung, 1875, pages 350-351.
Text Authorship:
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- ENG English (Sharon Krebs) , "The wandering lad", copyright © 2026, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Researcher for this page: Sharon Krebs
[Senior Associate Editor]This text was added to the website: 2026-06-05
Line count: 28
Word count: 135
The wandering lad
Language: English after the German (Deutsch)
A wandering lad was resting
At the shady, green acclivity,
And so drearily and sadly
He gazed into the flower-studded grass.
And yet so happily and merrily
He had departed from home,
And had rejoiced and sung
Out into the blooming countryside!
He had remained so strong
When his mother had, sobbing,
Given him her blessing as a pledge,
And had pressed his hand.
And when his beloved had asked him
Ah, shall you remain faithful and true to me?
Laughing, he had only kissed her
With jaunty spirit,
And when with his comrades
He had taken the last drink,
How, with bright rejoicing,
He had yet clinked glasses with them!
How is it then that he must
Gaze pensively into the distance,
And even that bright tears
Fill his eyes?
The young blood is thinking
Of his dear homeland:
The merry lad now knows
How much homesickness hurts!
Text Authorship:
- Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2026 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:
This text was added to the website: 2026-08-28
Line count: 28
Word count: 149
