The fare is rough and meager

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by Niklas Müller (1809 - 1875)

Translation © by Sharon Krebs

Die Kost ist rauh und mager

Language: German (Deutsch)

Our translations: ENG

Die Kost ist rauh und mager,
  Der arme Beutel leer.
Auf meinem harten Lager
  Wälz' ich mich hin und her.

Herr, hätt' ich doch zu essen
  Von deinem Brod und Fisch!
Hast du mich denn vergessen
  An deinem großen Tisch?

Ich will ja gern nicht sorgen
  Wie unzufried'ne Leut:
Was werd' ich essen morgen? --
  Nur was ich esse heut.

Ein Vöglein hör' ich singen,
  Das weiß es auch noch nicht,
Wer ihm wird Futter bringen;
  Doch singt es sein Gedicht.

Von einem Baum zum andern
  Fliegt es, von Ort zu Ort;
So will ich singend wandern
  In Gottes Namen fort.

About the headline (FAQ)

Confirmed with Perlen aus dem Schatze deutscher Lyrik, gesammelt von Friedrich Güll, München: Buchhandlung von Christian Kaiser, 1851, page 196.

Text Authorship:

by Niklas Müller (1809 - 1875), "Morgenlied eines Handwerksburschen" [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 Adolf Hoffmann (flourished 1884-1887), "Morgenlied eines Handwerksburschen", op. 5 (Zehn Gesänge) no. 9, published 1884 [ voice and piano ], Leipzig, Dörffel [sung text not yet checked]
by Karl Gottlieb Reissiger (1798 - 1859), "Die Kost ist rauh und mager", op. 124 (Gesänge und Lieder für Bass (oder Bariton)) no. 2, published 1838 [ bass or baritone and piano ], Leipzig, Hofmeister [sung text not yet checked]

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

ENG English (Sharon Krebs) , copyright © 2022, (re)printed on this website with kind permission

Research team for this page: Emily Ezust [Administrator] , Sharon Krebs [Guest Editor]

This text was added to the website: 2011-04-05
Line count: 20
Word count: 100

The fare is rough and meager

Language: English after the German (Deutsch)

The fare is rough and meager,
  My poor bag is empty.
Upon my hard bed
  I toss and turn.

Lord, if only I could eat
  Of Thy bread and fish!
Hast Thou then forgotten me
  At Thy great table?

I would gladly not be anxious
  Like ungrateful folk:
What shall I eat tomorrow? --
  Only that which I eat today.

I hear a birdlet singing,
  It, too, does not yet know
Who will bring it food;
  But it nevertheless sings its poem.

From one tree to another
  It flies, from place to place;
Thus in God’s name, singing,
  I will wander on.

About the headline (FAQ)

Translations of title(s):
"Die Kost ist rauh und mager" = "The fare is rough and meager"
"Morgenlied eines Handwerksburschen" = "The morning song of an apprentice"

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 Niklas Müller (1809 - 1875), "Morgenlied eines Handwerksburschen"
- Go to the text page.

This text was added to the website: 2022-08-27
Line count: 20
Word count: 101