Text & Translation
Gretels Warnung
German source:
Gerhard Anton von Halem
Warb Christel jung und schön;
So lieblich war, so frisch und schlank
Kein Jüngling rings zu seh’n.
Nein, keiner war
In ihrer Schaar,
Für den ich das gefühlt!
Das merkt er, ach!
Und ließ nicht nach,
Bis er es all erhielt!
Wohl war im Dorfe mancher Mann,
So jung und schön wie er;
Doch sah’n nur ihn die Mädchen an
Und kos’ten um ihn her.
Bald riß ihr Wort
Ihn schmeichelnd fort,
Gewonnen war sein Herz.
Mir ward er kalt,
Dann floh er bald
Und ließ mich hier im Schmerz.
Sein Liebesblick und Spiel und Sang,
So süß und wonniglich,
Sein Kuß, der tief zur Seele drang,
Erfreut nicht fürder mich.
Schaut meinen Fall,
Ihr Schwestern all’,
Für die der Folsche glüht,
Und trauet nicht dem, was er spricht.
O seht mich Arme an, und flieht!
Gretel’s warning
English translation ©
Richard Stokes
Young handsome Christel went a-wooing.
No other youth for miles around
Was so charming, fresh and slim.
No, there was no one else
In their group
For whom I felt the same.
He noticed this, alas,
And did not relent
Until he had it all.
Many a man in the village
Was as young and handsome as he,
But the girls had eyes for him alone
And flirted to win him.
Soon their flattering words
Had torn him from me;
His heart had been conquered
And he grew cold towards me.
Soon he fled
And left me here with my grief.
His loving looks, his music and song,
So sweet and so rapturous,
His kiss, which pierced deep into my soul,
No longer bring me joy.
Behold my downfall,
Sisters one and all,
For whom that false man burns,
And do not trust what he says.
Oh, look at wretched me, and flee.
Gretels Warnung
German source:
Gerhard Anton von Halem
Gretel’s warning
English source:
Richard Stokes
Mit Liebesblick und Spiel und Sang
With loving looks, music and song,
Warb Christel jung und schön;
Young handsome Christel went a-wooing.
So lieblich war, so frisch und schlank
No other youth for miles around
Kein Jüngling rings zu seh’n.
Was so charming, fresh and slim.
Nein, keiner war
No, there was no one else
In ihrer Schaar,
In their group
Für den ich das gefühlt!
For whom I felt the same.
Das merkt er, ach!
He noticed this, alas,
Und ließ nicht nach,
And did not relent
Bis er es all erhielt!
Until he had it all.
Wohl war im Dorfe mancher Mann,
Many a man in the village
So jung und schön wie er;
Was as young and handsome as he,
Doch sah’n nur ihn die Mädchen an
But the girls had eyes for him alone
Und kos’ten um ihn her.
And flirted to win him.
Bald riß ihr Wort
Soon their flattering words
Ihn schmeichelnd fort,
Had torn him from me;
Gewonnen war sein Herz.
His heart had been conquered
Mir ward er kalt,
And he grew cold towards me.
Dann floh er bald
Soon he fled
Und ließ mich hier im Schmerz.
And left me here with my grief.
Sein Liebesblick und Spiel und Sang,
His loving looks, his music and song,
So süß und wonniglich,
So sweet and so rapturous,
Sein Kuß, der tief zur Seele drang,
His kiss, which pierced deep into my soul,
Erfreut nicht fürder mich.
No longer bring me joy.
Schaut meinen Fall,
Behold my downfall,
Ihr Schwestern all’,
Sisters one and all,
Für die der Folsche glüht,
For whom that false man burns,
Und trauet nicht dem, was er spricht.
And do not trust what he says.
O seht mich Arme an, und flieht!
Oh, look at wretched me, and flee.
Composer
Ludwig van Beethoven
Ludwig van Beethoven (baptised 17 December 1770 – 26 March 1827) was a German composer and pianist. A crucial figure in the transition between the classical and romantic eras in classical music, he remains one of the most recognized and influential…
