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Im grünen Mai, im grünen Mai, Wenn Veilchen blüh'n im grünen Mai, Hol' ich mein Lieb, hol' ich mein Lieb Wohl aus dem fernen Land herbei; Du [grüner]1 Mai, o komm' heran, Daß ich mein [Schätzlein]2 holen kann! Wenn's Frühling ist, wenn's Frühling ist, [Wenn's wieder schöner Frühling ist]3, Dann wird mein Lieb', [dann]4 wird mein Lieb' Auf seinen rothen Mund geküsst; Du schöner Mai, o komm' heran, Daß ich mein [Schätzlein küssen]5 kann! Mein liebes Lieb', mein liebes Lieb', O bleib' mir gut, wenn's Veilchen blau, Wenn grün der Mai, wenn's Röslein roth, Dann frei' ich dich, du liebste Frau; O sel'ge Zeit, komm' bald heran, Daß ich mein [Schätzlein]6 freien kann.
About the headline (FAQ)
View original text (without footnotes)Confirmed with Den Armen: rheinisches Dichter-Album, ed. by C. O Sternau; in the last section, with poems and novellas by C. O. Sternau, Verlag von Johann Georg Schmitz, Köln, 1848, page 163. Note: modern German would change the following spellings: "Daß" -> "Dass", "rothen" -> "roten", etc.
1 Degele, Marschner: "schöner"2 Degele: "Liebchen mir"
3 Degele, Marschner: "wenn mich der Frühling wieder grüßt"
4 Degele: "ja"
5 Degele: "Liebchen bald freien"
6 Degele: "Liebchen bald"
Text Authorship:
- by Otto Inkermann (1823 - 1862), as C. O. Sternau, no title, appears in Lieder im Volkstone, no. 3 [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 Eugen Degele (1834 - 1886), "Im grünen Mai", op. 3 (3 Lieder für Bariton oder Alt mit Begleitung des Pianoforte) no. 3 [ baritone or alto and piano ] [sung text checked 1 time]
- by Heinrich August Marschner (1795 - 1861), "Im grünen Mai", op. 170 no. 1, published 1855 [ alto or baritone and piano ], from [Sechs] Melodien zu C. O. Sternau's Liedern für Alt (oder Bariton), no. 1, Hannover, Nagel [sung text checked 1 time]
- by Oskar Pasch (1844 - 1922), "Im grünen Mai", op. 11 (Sechs Lieder für Sopran, Alt, Tenor und Bass), Heft 1 no. 3, published 1880 [ satb chorus ], Berlin: Sulzbach [sung text not yet checked]
Research team for this page: Emily Ezust [Administrator] , Johann Winkler
This text was added to the website: 2020-02-29
Line count: 18
Word count: 120
In the green Maytime, in the green Maytime, When violets bloom in the green Maytime, I shall fetch my love, I shall fetch my love To me from the distant land; You [green]1 May, oh come hither That I may fetch [my little treasure]2! When it's springtime, when it's springtime, [When it is once more beautiful springtime]3, Then my beloved, [then]4 my beloved Shall be kissed upon her red lips: You beautiful May, oh come along, So that I may [kiss my little treasure]5! My dear beloved, my dear beloved, I remain fond of me when the violets are blue, When Maytime is green, when the rose is red, Then I shall marry you, you dearest of women; Oh blissful time, come along soon, That I may [marry my little treasure]5.
About the headline (FAQ)
View original text (without footnotes)Translations of titles:
"Im grünen Mai" = "In the green Maytime"
2 Degele: "me my darling"
3 Degele, Marschner: "When springtime greets me once more"
4 Degele: "yes"
5 Degele: "soon marry my darling"
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.
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Based on:
- a text in German (Deutsch) by Otto Inkermann (1823 - 1862), as C. O. Sternau, no title, appears in Lieder im Volkstone, no. 3
This text was added to the website: 2026-02-08
Line count: 18
Word count: 139