Kuckkuck — Ho-la-h, —

Ach, dann höre ichs lenzfroh gerne—

Kuckkuck, Ho-la-la….

When the cuckoo in the greenwood sings —

Cuckoo — Ho, lala —

I hear the voice of a thousand Springs —

Cuckoo — Ho, lala —

Probably it is the last two stanzas that are referred to as “timely.” They still refer to the cuckoo:

Auch wie Du will ich die Sorgen tragen,

Mahnt die Pflicht, dem Unmut stark entsagen.