Spin! Spin! | Day and night the maiden sadly

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by Hermann Gräser (1844 - 1905)

Translation © by Sharon Krebs

Spinn, spinn

Language: German (Deutsch)

Our translations: ENG

Mägdlein hielt Tag und Nacht 
Traurig an dem Spinnrad Wacht; 
Draußen rauschend 's Wasser sprang, 
Saust' der Wind und 's Vöglein sang.

"Röslein man holt im Hag, 
Mich doch Niemand holen mag! 
Zeiten flieh'n -- nein dieses Jahr 
Führt mich Keiner zum Altar!"

"Spinn, spinn, spinn Tochter mein, 
Morgen kommt der Freier dein!" 
Mägdlein spann, die Thräne rann, 
Nie doch kam der Freiersmann.

Text Authorship:

by Hermann Gräser (1844 - 1905) [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 Alfred Michaelis (1854 - 1914), "Spinn, spinn", op. 15 (Drei Lieder für gemischten Chor) no. 2, published 1887 [ satb chorus ], Leipzig: Hug [sung text not yet checked]

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

ENG English (Sharon Krebs) , "Spin! Spin!", 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: 2025-09-03
Line count: 12
Word count: 62

Spin! Spin!

Language: English after the German (Deutsch)

Day and night the maiden sadly
Kept watch at her spinning wheel;
Outdoors, the water leapt noisily,
The wind roared and the birdlet sang.

"One picks roses in the grove,
But no one wants to come pick me!
Time is flying away -- no, this year
No one shall lead me to the altar!"

"Spin, spin, spin, daughter of mine,
Tomorrow your wooer shall come!"
The maiden spun, her tears flowed,
But the wooer never came.

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:

a text in German (Deutsch) by Hermann Gräser (1844 - 1905)
- Go to the text page.

This text was added to the website: 2026-01-02
Line count: 12
Word count: 75