No and yes | Woman, if you wish to save me

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by Heinrich von Morungen

Translation © by Sharon Krebs

Nein und Ja

Language: German (Deutsch)

Our translations: ENG

   Frau, wenn du mich erretten willst, 
So sieh mich doch ein wenig an: 
   Wenn du die große Noth nicht stillst, 
So ist es bald um mich gethan.
   Ich bin so siech, mein Herz ist wund: 
Frau, das haben mir gethan [meine]¹ Augen und dein rother Mund. 

   Frau, bedenkst du nicht mein Leid, 
Verlier ich Leben bald und Leib. 
   Ein Wörtchen sprachst du jederzeit, 
Verkehre das, du selig Weib! 
   Du sprachest immer: Nein, o nein, 
O nein, o nein, o nein: das bricht mein Herz und wär es Stein. 
Sprich [nun doch auch]² einmal ja,
Ja, ja, ja, ja, ja, ja! Das [liegt]³ meinem Herzen nah!

Available sung texts: (what is this?)

• W. Berger

View original text (without footnotes)

Confirmed with Karl Simrock, Lieder der Minnesänger, Elberfeld: R.L. Friderichs, 1857, page 97.

¹ Berger: "deine"
² Berger: "nun auch"
³ Berger: "lieget"

Text Authorship:

by Heinrich von Morungen , "Nein und Ja" [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 Wilhelm Reinhard Berger (1861 - 1911), "Nein und Ja", published 1903 [ voice and piano ], in the collection Im Volkston: moderne Volkslieder komponiert für Die Woche, Druck und Verlag von August Scherl G.m.b.H. Berlin [sung text checked 2 times]

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

ENG English (Sharon Krebs) , "No and yes", copyright © 2021, (re)printed on this website with kind permission

Research team for this page: Sharon Krebs [Guest Editor] , Harry Joelson

This text was added to the website: 2012-02-20
Line count: 14
Word count: 109

No and yes

Language: English after the German (Deutsch)

   Woman, if you wish to save me,
Then only look at me a little:
   If you do not assuage my great distress,
Then I shall soon perish.
   I am so infirm, my heart is sore:
Woman, that is the fault of [my]¹ eyes and your red lips.

  Woman, if you do not give a thought to my anguish,
I shall soon lose my life and body.
   There is one word you spoke all the time,
Replace it, you blessed woman!
   You always said: No, oh no,
Oh no, oh no, oh no: that breaks my heart and were it made of stone.
Only once now say yes as well,
Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes! That would mean a lot to my heart!

View original text (without footnotes)
¹ Berger: "your"

Text Authorship:

Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2021 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 Heinrich von Morungen , "Nein und Ja"
- Go to the text page.

This text was added to the website: 2021-06-24
Line count: 14
Word count: 125