Turteltaube, meine Schwester,
Der mich stiller Sinn verbindet,
Die für Spatzenvolks Geläster
Nur das scheue Girren findet;
Sanfte Schwester, zärtlich werbend,
Bleib' in meiner Hand, der [warmen; -- 
Mir am]1 Herzen krank und sterbend 
[Girre der]2 betrübten Armen!

Turteltaube! Lass mich weinen
In Moscheenhofs Arkade,
Wo zu harten Brunnensteinen
Ewig schluchzt der Quell um Gnade,
Schluchzend bat ich meinen harten
Heissgeliebten um Erbarmen --
[Schwester]3 -- gieb mit deiner zarten
Stimme Schmeicheln Trost mir Armen!

[Turteltaube --]4 wenn zur Stunde
Des Gebetes naht der Strenge,
Schwester -- sei mit mir im Bunde,
Folg ihm, schwebend ob der Menge!
Wenn er dann die müden Füsse
Zu des Brunnens Kühlung senket,
Sag' ihm girrend Liebesgrüße,
Dass er wieder mein gedenket!

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Confirmed with: Rosenblätter. Lieder und Sprüche des Volkssängers und Improvisators Assim-Agha Gül hanedé, Dem Neutürkischen nachgedichtet von Bernhardine Schulze-Smidt, Leipzig: Verlag von Schmidt & Günther, 1893, pages 41-42.

¹ Rheinberger: "warmen mir/ Dem"
² Rheinberger: "Girre, Turteltaube, der"
³ Rheinberger: "O Schwester"
⁴ Rheinberger: "Turteltaube, meine Schwester,"

Text Authorship:

• by Bernhardine Schulze-Smidt (1846 - 1920), "Turteltaube (Kumru)", appears in Türkische Liebeslieder mit Texten des Assim-Agha Gül-Hanandé [author's text checked 1 time against a primary source]

Based on:

• a text in Turkish (Türkçe) by Assim-Agha Gül-Hanandé , "Kumru" [text unavailable]
  • Go to the text page.

Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):

• by Joseph (Gabriel) Rheinberger (1839 - 1901), "Turteltaube", op. 182 no. 4, published 1885 [ SATB quartet, SATB chorus, and piano ], from Vom goldenen Horn. Türkisches Liederspiel für Solostimmen, gemischten Chor und Pianoforte, no. 4, Leuckart, Leipzig [sung text checked 1 time]

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

• ENG English (Sharon Krebs) , copyright © 2020, (re)printed on this website with kind permission

Research team for this page: Sharon Krebs [Guest Editor] , Earl Rosenbaum

This text was added to the website: 2012-06-04
Line count: 24
Word count: 118

Turtledove, my sister,
With whom a quiet spirit unites me,
Who in contrast to the blasphemy of sparrows
Can only come up with a shy cooing;
Gentle sister, tenderly wooing,
Remain in my hand, my warm hand; --
[Remain nestled to my heart, sick and dying
Coo]1 to me, the poor despondent one!

Turtledove! Let me weep
In the arcades of the mosque’s courtyard,
Where the water-spring eternally sobs
For mercy to the hard rock of the well,
Sobbing, I pleaded with my hard,
Fervently-loved one for mercy --
[Sister]2 -- with the gentle flattery
Of your voice give comfort to me, the poor wretch!

[Turtledove --]3 when at the hour
Of prayer the stern man nears,
Sister, take my side,
Follow him, hovering over the crowd!
When he then sinks his weary feet
Into the coolness of the water-spring,
Cooingly convey greetings of love
So that he might once more think of me!