| Margarete Münsterberg, ed., trans. A Harvest of German Verse. 1916. | | | | Wanderer’s Joy | | By Emanuel Geibel (1815–1884) |
| | | THE MAY-TIME has come and the trees are budding fair; | |
| Then stay, all who want to, at home with toil and care! | |
| As the clouds are wandering along the heavenly dome, | |
| So my heart is longing the wide world to roam. | |
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| Farewell, father, mother, may God you ever bless! | 5 |
| Who knows where, far from here, I’ll find happiness! | |
| There are many roads still, I never have spied, | |
| There are many wines, too, I never yet have tried. | |
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| So up and about in the gay sunlight’s glow, | |
| Far over the mountains, through valleys to go! | 10 |
| The trees murmur gladly, the springs leap along, | |
| My heart’s like the lark and it joins in the song. | |
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| At night, in the village, I stop at a sign: | |
| “Sir landlord, sir landlord, a jug of cool wine! | |
| You jolly good fiddler, take your fiddle and play! | 15 |
| About my dear sweetheart I’ll sing you a lay.” | |
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| And if I find no shelter, I’ll lie in the night | |
| Beneath the dark blue heavens, while stars are watching bright; | |
| The wind in the lindens will lull me into dreams, | |
| At dawn I’ll be roused by the morning sunbeams. | 20 |
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| To wander, to wander—oh, youth’s happy zest, | |
| When God’s breath is blowing so freely through the breast! | |
| Then unto high heaven sings the jubilant heart: | |
| Oh, wide world, I greet thee, how beautiful thou art! | | | | |
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