The winds rock the nest 
in the linden tree,
so the bright little eyes 
soon close.
So, covered by their mother's wing,
the little birds sleep sweetly till morning wakes them up.

The little lambs lie down 
by their mother and cuddle
up on the fleece, so snugly 
and do not stir.
They breathe so softly and do not wake up until
the swallows start chattering high up on the roof.

But only the stars 
up in the sky so far away,
big ones or little ones, 
they don't go to sleep,
they don't close their shining eyes,
they don't lie down to rest with the others.

But when the children 
wake up laughing,
the little lamb stretches its legs 
and the little bird its wings,
that's when the stars, big ones or little ones, 
have to go to their little bed in the sky.

Because nobody can sing 
or jump in the morning
who had to stay up 
and rush around during the night.
So, go to sleep now, my dear one, sleep tight,
like a little lamb in its stall, like a bird in its nest!