Songs

Hoffärtig seid Ihr, schönes Kind

by Hugo Wolf From Italienisches Liederbuch

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Text & Translation

View IPA

Hoffärtig seid Ihr, schönes Kind
German source: Paul Heyse

Hoffärtig seid Ihr, schönes Kind, und geht
Mit Euren Freiern um auf stolzem Fuss.
Spricht man Euch an, kaum dass Ihr Rede steht,
Als kostet’ Euch zuviel ein holder Gruss.
Bist keines Alexanders Töchterlein,
Kein Königreich wird deine Mitgift sein,
Und willst du nicht das Gold, so nimm das Zinn;
Willst du nicht Liebe, nimm Verachtung hin.

You are haughty, beautiful child
English translation © Richard Stokes

You are haughty, beautiful child,
And high and mighty with your suitors.
If you’re spoke to, you hardly deign reply,
As if a friendly greeting cost too much.
You are no Alexander’s daughter,
No kingdom will be your dowry,
So if you don’t want gold, take tin,
If you don’t want love, take contempt.

Translation © Richard Stokes, author of The Book of Lieder (Faber, 2005)

Hoffärtig seid Ihr, schönes Kind
German source: Paul Heyse

You are haughty, beautiful child
English source: Richard Stokes

Hoffärtig seid Ihr, schönes Kind, und geht
You are haughty, beautiful child,
Mit Euren Freiern um auf stolzem Fuss.
And high and mighty with your suitors.
Spricht man Euch an, kaum dass Ihr Rede steht,
If you’re spoke to, you hardly deign reply,
Als kostet’ Euch zuviel ein holder Gruss.
As if a friendly greeting cost too much.
Bist keines Alexanders Töchterlein,
You are no Alexander’s daughter,
Kein Königreich wird deine Mitgift sein,
No kingdom will be your dowry,
Und willst du nicht das Gold, so nimm das Zinn;
So if you don’t want gold, take tin,
Willst du nicht Liebe, nimm Verachtung hin.
If you don’t want love, take contempt.

Composer

Hugo Wolf

Hugo Filipp Jakob Wolf was born on 13 March 1860, the fourth of six surviving children, in Windischgraz, Styria, then part of the Austrian Empire. He was taught the piano and violin by his father at an early age and continued to study piano at the…

Poet

Paul Heyse

Paul Johann Ludwig von Heyse was a distinguished German writer and translator. A member of two important literary societies, the Tunnel über der Spree in Berlin and Die Krokodile in Munich, he wrote novels, poetry, 177 short stories, and about sixty…

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