by Otto Friedrich Gruppe (1804 - 1876)
Translation © by Emily Ezust

Schwalbe, sag mir an
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Available translation(s): CAT DUT ENG FRE
Schwalbe, sag mir an,
Ist's dein alter Mann
Mit dem du's Nest gebaut,
Oder hast du jüngst erst
Dich ihm vertraut?

Sag', was zwitschert ihr, 
Sag', was flüstert ihr
Des Morgens so vertraut?
Gelt, du bist wohl auch noch 
Nicht lange Braut?

About the headline (FAQ)

Confirmed with Gedichte von O. F. Gruppe, Gedruckt und verlegt bei G. Reimer, 1835, p. 55.


Authorship:

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

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

  • CAT Catalan (Català) (Salvador Pila) , "La donzella parla", copyright © 2022, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
  • DUT Dutch (Nederlands) [singable] (Lau Kanen) , "Het meisje spreekt", copyright © 2014, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
  • ENG English (Emily Ezust) , "The maiden speaks", copyright ©
  • FRE French (Français) (Pierre Mathé) , "La fille dit", copyright © 2008, (re)printed on this website with kind permission


Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]

This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 10
Word count: 42

The maiden speaks
Language: English  after the German (Deutsch) 
Swallow, tell me,
was it your old husband
with whom you built your nest,
or have you just recently
entrusted yourself to him?

Tell me what you twitter about,
tell me what you whisper about
in the mornings, so confidentially?
Eh? You haven't been
a bride for very long, have you?

Authorship:

  • Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © by Emily Ezust

    Emily Ezust permits her translations to be reproduced without prior permission for printed (not online) programs to free-admission concerts only, provided the following credit is given:

    Translation copyright © by Emily Ezust,
    from the LiederNet Archive -- https://www.lieder.net/

    For any other purpose, please write to the e-mail address below to request permission and discuss possible fees.


Based on:

 

This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 10
Word count: 51