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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:
- by Friedrich Heinrich Oser (1820 - 1891), "Der Wanderbursche", appears in Liederbuch, in 6. Romanzen, no. 377 [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 Johann (or Hans) Wilhelm Bueß (b. 1812) [sung text not yet checked]
- by Philipp Tietz (1816 - 1878) [sung text not yet checked]
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
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.
Based on:
- a text in German (Deutsch) by Friedrich Heinrich Oser (1820 - 1891), "Der Wanderbursche", appears in Liederbuch, in 6. Romanzen, no. 377
This text was added to the website: 2026-08-28
Line count: 28
Word count: 149