Comfort | Recently, when in the early morning

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by Wilhelm Jordan (1819 - 1904)

Translation © by Sharon Krebs

Trost

Language: German (Deutsch)

Our translations: ENG

Als ich jüngst am frühen Morgen 
  Von der Quelle wiederkam 
  Und des braunen Rosses Wiehern
  Aus dem Stalle her vernahm, 

Hab' ich meinen blanken Eimer
  Vor die Thüre hingesetzt. 
  Drinnen fand ich meinen Selmas, 
  Doch sein Auge war benetzt. 

"Sprich, was weinst Du, lieber Jüngling? 
  Schöner Reiter, sag' es mir! 
  Meine Liebe wend' ich nimmer, 
  Nimmer wieder ab von Dir!"

"Mädchen, wie die Lilie bist Du, 
  Die im offnen Garten steht, 
  Welche Jeder, dem es einfällt, 
  Unbarmherzig pflücken geht. 

Ach, sie haben dich verläumdet
  Und gesagt: sie hat beim Tanz
  Ihren Ring verschenkt, im Gasthaus
  Gar verloren ihren Kranz!"

"Sieh, die Hand, die jetzt Dich streichelt, 
  Glänzt am Finger nicht Dein Ring? 
  Frag', ob in der Mutter Kammer 
  Wohlverwahrt mein Kranz nicht hing. 

Wasser in der reinen Quelle
  Bleibet ja doch immer rein: 
  Wird nicht immer treu die Liebe 
  In dem treuen Herzen sein?"

Confirmed with Litthauische Volkslieder und Sagen bearbeitet von Wilhelm Jordan, Berlin: Verlag von Julius Springer, 1844, pages 26-27.

Text Authorship:

by Wilhelm Jordan (1819 - 1904), "Trost" [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):

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

ENG English (Sharon Krebs) , "Comfort", 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: 2025-11-26
Line count: 28
Word count: 144

Comfort

Language: English after the German (Deutsch)

Recently, when in the early morning
  I came back from the water-spring
  And heard the whinnying of the 
  Brown horse coming from the stable, 

I set my shiny pail down
  Before the door.
  In [the stable] I found my Selmas,
  But his eyes were wet.

"Speak, why are you crying, dear lad?
  Handsome rider, tell me why!
  I shall never, nevermore
  Turn my love away from you!"

"Maiden, you are like the lily
  That grows in a public garden,
  Which everyone who takes the notion
  Ruthlessly goes to pick. 

Ah, they have slandered you
  And said: At the dance
  She gave away her ring; in the tavern
  She even lost her wreath!"

"See the hand that now caresses you,
  Does not your ring sparkle on my finger?
  Ask, if in my mother's chamber
  My wreath is not hanging, safely kept.

For water in the pure spring
  Ever remains pure:
  Shall not love ever remain 
  Faithful in a faithful heart?"

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.
Contact: licenses@email.lieder.example.net

Based on:

a text in German (Deutsch) by Wilhelm Jordan (1819 - 1904), "Trost"
- Go to the text page.

This text was added to the website: 2025-11-27
Line count: 28
Word count: 159