by
Elisabeth Ebeling (1828 - 1905)
Wiegenlied
Language: German (Deutsch)
Available translation(s): ENG
Es schaukeln die Winde
das Nest in der Linde,
da schließen sich schnell
die Äugelein hell.
Da schlafen vom Flügel der Mutter gedeckt
die Vögelchen süß bis der Morgen sie weckt.
Bei Mütterlein liegen
die Lämmer und schmiegen
ans Fell sich so dicht
und regen sich nicht.
Sie atmen so leise und werden erst wach
beim Zwitschern der Schwalben hoch oben am Dach.
Nur einzig die Sterne
am Himmel so ferne,
ob groß oder klein,
sie schlafen nicht ein,
sie schließen die strahlenden Augen nicht zu,
sie legen sich nicht mit den andern zu Ruh'.
Wenn aber mit Lachen
die Kinder erwachen,
das Lämmchen sich reckt,
der Vogel sich streckt,
dann müssen die Sterne, ob groß oder klein,
sie müssen in's himmlische Bettchen hinein.
Dann der darf nicht singen
am Morgen und springen,
wer während der Nacht
herum tollt und wacht.
Drum schlaf nur, mein Liebling, schlaf selig und fest,
wie's Lämmchen im Stall, wie der Vogel im Nest!
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, and transliterations (if applicable):
- ENG English (Malcolm Wren) , title 1: "Lullaby", copyright © 2008, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- ENG English [singable] (John Bernhoff) , title 1: "Cradle Song"
Researcher for this page: Malcolm Wren
[Guest Editor] This text was added to the website: 2008-03-11
Line count: 30
Word count: 159
Lullaby
Language: English  after the German (Deutsch)
The winds rock the nest
in the linden tree,
so the bright little eyes
soon close.
So, covered by their mother's wing,
the little birds sleep sweetly till morning wakes them up.
The little lambs lie down
by their mother and cuddle
up on the fleece, so snugly
and do not stir.
They breathe so softly and do not wake up until
the swallows start chattering high up on the roof.
But only the stars
up in the sky so far away,
big ones or little ones,
they don't go to sleep,
they don't close their shining eyes,
they don't lie down to rest with the others.
But when the children
wake up laughing,
the little lamb stretches its legs
and the little bird its wings,
that's when the stars, big ones or little ones,
have to go to their little bed in the sky.
Because nobody can sing
or jump in the morning
who had to stay up
and rush around during the night.
So, go to sleep now, my dear one, sleep tight,
like a little lamb in its stall, like a bird in its nest!
Authorship:
- Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2008 by Malcolm Wren, (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:
This text was added to the website: 2008-03-11
Line count: 30
Word count: 188