Recently as I walked across the graveyard

Attention! Some of this material is not in the public domain.

It is illegal to copy and distribute our copyright-protected material without permission. It is also illegal to reprint copyright texts or translations without the name of the author or translator.

To inquire about permissions and rates, contact Emily Ezust at licenses@email.lieder.example.net

If you wish to reprint translations, please make sure you include the names of the translators in your email. They are below each translation.

Note: You must use the copyright symbol © when you reprint copyright-protected material.

by Ottilie von Ahlefeldt-Dehn (1809 - 1897)

Translation © by Sharon Krebs

Jüngst, als ich über'n Friedhof ging

Language: German (Deutsch)

Our translations: ENG

Jüngst, als ich über'n Friedhof ging,
Sah ich ein frisches Grab,
Es hing vom schwarzen Kreuzelein
Ein welker Kranz herab,

Und schmeichelnd spielt der Abendwind
Wohl mit dem Todtenkranz[,]
Die Sonne küsste goldig roth
Die Welt im Maienglanz!

Ich aber dacht': Unendlich schön
Muss es doch droben sein,
Wenn unser Herrgott sterben heisst
Beim Frühlingssonnenschein!

About the headline (FAQ)

Text Authorship:

by Ottilie von Ahlefeldt-Dehn (1809 - 1897) [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 Eduard Lassen (1830 - 1904), "Jüngst, als ich über'n Friedhof ging", op. 82 no. 3, published 1885 [ voice and piano ], from Aus der Frühlingszeit. Ein Liederzyklus von Ottilie von Ahlefeldt-Dehn für 1 Singstimme mit Pianoforte, no. 3, Breslau, Hainauer [sung text checked 1 time]

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

ENG English (Sharon Krebs) , 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: 2022-10-12
Line count: 12
Word count: 55

Recently as I walked across the...

Language: English after the German (Deutsch)

Recently as I walked across the graveyard,
I saw a new grave,
Upon the little black cross
A wilted wreath was suspended. 

And the evening wind plays caressingly
With the funereal wreath[,]
The sun kissed the earth 
To golden red in the glow of May!

But I thought: It must be 
Infinitely beautiful up there [in heaven],
When our Lord God commands someone 
To die in springtime sunshine!

About the headline (FAQ)

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 Ottilie von Ahlefeldt-Dehn (1809 - 1897)
- Go to the text page.

This text was added to the website: 2022-10-25
Line count: 12
Word count: 68