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.
If you wish to reprint translations, please use the Reprint Basket (upper right hand corner).
Reminder: You must always use the copyright symbol © when you reprint copyright-protected material.
[Mein Geldsack, ach!]1 welch' dünner Klang! Bist viel zu weit, bist viel zu lang! Dem Gulden wird so einsamlich, Bald läßt der letzte dich im Stich, Und auch der Heller schlüpft heraus Im Nu wie eine Kirchenmaus! Mein Geldsack, mein Geldsack, Mein armer, langer Geldsack! Nur du, mein Herz, bist viel zu klein! Ging' jemals all mein Glück hinein? -- Schlag freudig drum nicht minder fort, Getrost mit deinem Schatz und Hort! Wirst reicher nur, je mehr du gibst, Und froher nur, je mehr du liebst! Mein Herz, du, mein Herz, du, Was kümmert dich der Geldsack!
Confirmed with Liederbuch von Friedrich Oser, 1842-1874. Mit einem biographischen Verzeichnis der Componisten, Basel: Benno Schwabe, Verlagsbuchhandlung, 1875, page 325.
1 Häser: "Ach mein Geldsack"; further changes may exist not shown above.Text Authorship:
- by Friedrich Heinrich Oser (1820 - 1891), "Vom Geldsack ", appears in Liederbuch, in 5. Vermischte Lieder, no. 352 [author's text checked 2 times 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 Gustav Flügel (1812 - 1900), "Vom Geldsack", op. 67 no. 4, published 1871 [ men's chorus ], in: Thesaurus. Sammlung neuer Lieder und Gesänge für Männerchöre, Berlin: Stubenrauch [sung text not yet checked]
- by Carl Häser (1809 - 1887 ), "Vom Geldsack", op. 82 (Drei Gedichte launigen Inhalts für Männerchor) no. 1, published 1874 [ men's chorus ], Cassel, Luckhardt [sung text not yet checked]
- by Samuel Hoch (b. 1830) [sung text not yet checked]
- by Reinhold Reich (1842 - 1900), "Vom Geldsack" [ four-part men's chorus a cappella ], Leipzig: Siegismund & Volkening [sung text not yet checked]
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- ENG English (Sharon Krebs) , "About the money-bag", copyright © 2026, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Research team for this page: Sharon Krebs [Senior Associate Editor], Melanie Trumbull
This text was added to the website: 2019-04-01
Line count: 16
Word count: 98
[My money-bag, alas!]1 what a feeble sound! You are far too wide, are far too long! The guilder becomes so lonely, Soon the last one shall leave you in the lurch, And the halfpenny, too, shall slip out In a trice, like a church-mouse! My money-bag, my money-bag, My poor, long money-bag! Only you, my heart, are far too small! Could all my happiness ever fit into you? -- But do you continue to pulse no less joyfully, Confident in your treasure and hoard! You only become the more wealthy the more you give, And only the more happy, the more you love! My heart, you, my heart, you, What does the money-bag concern you!
1 Häser: "Alas, my money-bag"; further changes may exist not shown above.
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.
Based on:
- a text in German (Deutsch) by Friedrich Heinrich Oser (1820 - 1891), "Vom Geldsack ", appears in Liederbuch, in 5. Vermischte Lieder, no. 352
This text was added to the website: 2026-09-14
Line count: 16
Word count: 116