Schlafe, mein Prinzchen, schlaf' ein
One of the most famous German lullabies....
Schlafe, mein Prinzchen, schlaf' ein
Sleep, My Little Prince, Sleep
Lullaby
Lullaby
(German)
(English)
Schlafe, mein Prinzchen, schlaf' ein,
Schäfchen ruh'n und Vögelein,
Garten und Wiesen verstummt,
auch nicht ein Bienchen mehr summt,
Luna mit silbernem Schein
gucket zum Fenster herein,
schlafe bei silbernem Schein,
schlafe, mein Prinzchen, schlaf' ein,
schlaf' ein, schlaf' ein!
Alles im Schlosse schon liegt,
Alles im Schlummer gewiegt,
reget kein Mäuschen sich mehr,
Keller und Küche sind leer,
nur in der Zofe Gemach
tönet ein schmachtendes Ach!
Was für ein Ach mag das sein?
Schlafe, mein Prinzchen, schlaf' ein,
schlaf' ein, schlaf' ein!
Wer ist beglückter als du?
Nichts als Vergnügen und Ruh'!
Spielwerk und Zucker vollauf
und noch Karossen im Lauf,
Alles besorgt und bereit,
dass nur mein Prinzchen nicht schreit.
Was wird da künftig erst sein?
Schlafe, mein Prinzchen, schlaf' ein,
schlaf' ein, schlaf' ein!
Sleep, my little prince, sleep,
The sheep and the birdies rest,
The garden and the meadow are quiet,
Not even a little bee buzzes anymore.
Luna, with a silverly glow
Looks in through the window,
Sleep by the silvery glow,
Sleep, my little prince, sleep,
Sleep, sleep!
By now, all are in bed in the castle,
All lulled into a slumber,
No more mice stir,
The basement and kitchen are empty.
Only in the maid's chambers
There sounds a languishing sigh!
What might this sigh be for?
Sleep, my little prince, sleep,
Sleep, sleep!
Who is happier than you?
Nothing but pleasure and peace!
All trinkets and sugar,
And a trotting stage-coach.
Everyone's anxious and ready
That my little prince will just not cry.
But what will the future bring?
Sleep, my little prince, sleep,
Sleep, sleep!
Notes
"The words are by Friedrich Wilhelm Gotter and for many years the common view was that the melody was composed by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (Schlafe, mein Prinzchen, es ruhn: K. 350 (Anh. 284f; Anh. C 8.48). Attribution for the melody has since shifted to either Bernhard Flies or Johann Friedrich Anton Fleischmann." -Wikipedia
*****
Singable Translation
Kristina Powers sent us the following translation that's singable in English with this note:
"I noticed that you included Mozart's Lullaby on your site. I have done a versified singable English translation and thought you might also like to contribute this to your website. I did this one because I sing the original in German and noticed that all available English versions were not accurate to the prince/castle imagery and did not cover all three verses..."
Hush, little prince, go to sleep;
Still are the birds and the sheep.
Garden and meadow are still;
Honeybee ceases her trill.
Moonlight with silvery beam
Pours on the window her gleam.
Sleep bathed in silvery light;
Hush, little prince, now sleep tight.
Sleep tight! Sleep tight!
All in the castle recline
Cradled in slumber divine.
Mousey lies still in his lair;
Cellar and kitchen are bare.
Only the maid sleeping nigh
Utters a languishing sigh.
What be the source of her plight?
Hush, little prince, now sleep tight.
Sleep tight! Sleep tight!
Who is content more than thee
Laden with comfort and glee?
Candy and toys to behold;
Even a coach made of gold.
Constant the watch of thy team
Such that my prince will not scream.
What does the future hold bright?
Hush, little prince, now sleep tight.
Sleep tight! Sleep tight!
"Note: This song has long been discovered to be the work of Bernhard Flies, an amateur composer who lived at the same time as Mozart. To sell the work, many people signed their work with the names of famous composers, and this is what happened in the case of this song. I always list it as "Flies, previously attributed to Mozart." Hope this translation can be featured, since as I mentioned earlier, there is no comprehensive and accurate English translation as far as I know ...." -Kristina
Thanks!
Thanks!
Thanks and Acknowledgements
Thanks to Sadao Mazuka for sharing this lullaby and the midi. Translation by Mama Lisa. Thanks to Lila for the illustration! Thanks to Kristina Powers for sharing the 2nd singable translation and note!
