Gār die Welt is auf mir gefallen,
Seit ich bin geblieben allēin,
Sitz' ich doch Tāg un' Nacht
Jāmmerlich un' wēin'.
Teichen Trähren thuen sich
Rinnen vun meine Äugen,
Ich soll hāben Fliegelach,
Wollt' ich zu ihm geflōgen.
Lēgt sich, Kinderlach, alle arum mir,
Euer Tate is' vun euch vertrieben.
Klēine Jessomim sent ihr doch
Un' ich bin ein Almone geblieben.
On the mountain stands a dove; she is cooing to her brood: I have had a good friend, and I cannot get to him.—Brooks of tears flow out of my eyes; I am left like a piece of wood swimming on the water.—The whole world has fallen upon me since I am left alone; I sit day and night and weep bitterly.—Rivers of tears pour forth from my eyes. If I had wings I should fly to him.—Lie down, children, all around me! Your father has been taken away from you: You are now young orphans, and I am left a widow.
As sad as the widow's is the lot of the orphan. Fatherless and motherless, he seems to be in everybody's way, and no matter what he does, he is not appreciated by those he comes in contact with. There are many songs of the dying mother who finds her last moments embittered by the thought that her children will suffer privations and oppression from their stepmother and from other unkind people. There are also beggar's songs which tell that the singers were driven to beggary through loss of parents. The following verses, touching in their simplicity, recite the sad plight of an orphan:
Wasser schaumt, Wasser schaumt,
Thut män ganz weit hören,—
Wenn es starbt der Vāter-Mutter,
Giesst der Jossem mit Trähren.
Der Jossem gēht, der Jossem gēht,
Der Jossem thut gār umsüst,—
Leut' schatzen, Leut' sāgen,
As der Jossem täug' gār nischt
Der Jossem gēht, der Jossem gēht,
Un' in Zar un' in Pein,—
Leut' schatzen, Leut' sāgen,
As der Jossem is' schicker vun Wein.
Bei meine Freund', bei meine Freund'
Wachst Weiz un' Körner,—
Bei mir Jossem, bei mir Jossem
Wachst doch Grās un' Dörner.
Gottunju, Gottunju,
Gottunju du mein,
Wās hāst du mich nit beschaffen
Mit dem Masel wie meine Freund?