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Bilingual Bedtime/German songs
WiegenliedLullaby

Schlaf, Kindlein, schlaf.

The melody of Schlaf, Kindlein, schlaf on a staff, as engraved in the book
Download the tune

The melody as written on the staff, so you can learn the tune before you sing.

Verse 1

  1. Schlaf, Kindlein, schlaf,shlahf, kint-lain, shlahf,Sleep, little child, sleep,
  2. Der Vater hüt die Schaf,dair fah-ter hewt dee shahf,The father is out minding the sheep,
  3. Die Mutter schüttelt's Bäumelein,dee moot-ter shewt-tuhlts boy-muh-lain,The mother shakes the little tree,
  4. Da fällt herab ein Träumelein,dah fehlt her-ahp ain troy-muh-lain,And down falls a little dream,
  5. Schlaf, Kindlein, schlaf.shlahf, kint-lain, shlahf.Sleep, little child, sleep.

Verse 2

  1. Schlaf, Kindlein, schlaf,shlahf, kint-lain, shlahf,Sleep, little child, sleep,
  2. Am Himmel ziehn die Schaf,ahm him-muhl tseen dee shahf,Across the sky the sheep are moving,
  3. Die Sternlein sind die Lämmerlein,dee shtern-lain zint dee lehm-mer-lain,The little stars are the little lambs,
  4. Der Mond der ist das Schäferlein,dair mohnt dair ist dahs sheh-fer-lain,The moon is the little shepherd,
  5. Schlaf, Kindlein, schlaf.shlahf, kint-lain, shlahf.Sleep, little child, sleep.

Verse 3

  1. Schlaf, Kindlein, schlaf,shlahf, kint-lain, shlahf,Sleep, little child, sleep,
  2. Christkindlein hat ein Schaf,krist-kint-lain haht ain shahf,The Christ child has a sheep,
  3. Ist selbst das liebe Gotteslamm,ist zehlpst dahs lee-buh got-tuhs-lahm,He is himself the dear lamb of God,
  4. Das um uns all zu Tode kam,dahs oom oons ahl tsoo toh-duh kahm,Who came to his death for all of us,
  5. Schlaf, Kindlein, schlaf!shlahf, kint-lain, shlahf!Sleep, little child, sleep!

Verse 4

  1. Schlaf, Kindlein, schlaf,shlahf, kint-lain, shlahf,Sleep, little child, sleep,
  2. So schenk ich dir ein Schaf,zoh shehnk ikh deer ain shahf,So I will give you a sheep,
  3. Mit einer goldnen Schelle fein,mit ai-ner golt-nuhn shehl-luh fain,With a fine little golden bell,
  4. Das soll dein Spielgeselle sein,dahs zol dain shpeel-guh-zehl-luh zain,And it shall be your playmate,
  5. Schlaf, Kindlein, schlaf!shlahf, kint-lain, shlahf!Sleep, little child, sleep!

Verse 5

  1. Schlaf, Kindlein, schlaf,shlahf, kint-lain, shlahf,Sleep, little child, sleep,
  2. Und blök nicht wie ein Schaf,oont blerk nikht vee ain shahf,And do not bleat like a sheep,
  3. Sonst kommt des Schäfers Hündelein,zonst komt dehs sheh-fers hewn-duh-lain,Or the shepherd's little dog will come,
  4. Und beißt mein böses Kindelein,oont baist main ber-zuhs kin-duh-lain,And bite my naughty little child,
  5. Schlaf, Kindlein, schlaf.shlahf, kint-lain, shlahf.Sleep, little child, sleep.

Verse 6

  1. Schlaf, Kindlein, schlaf,shlahf, kint-lain, shlahf,Sleep, little child, sleep,
  2. Geh fort und hüt die Schaf,gay fort oont hewt dee shahf,Go away and mind the sheep,
  3. Geh fort du schwarzes Hündelein,gay fort doo shvahr-tsuhs hewn-duh-lain,Go away, you little black dog,
  4. Und weck mir nicht mein Kindelein,oont vehk meer nikht main kin-duh-lain,And do not wake my little child,
  5. Schlaf, Kindlein, schlaf.shlahf, kint-lain, shlahf.Sleep, little child, sleep.

About this song

The tune is Johann Friedrich Reichardt's, from 1781; the words are the ones printed in Des Knaben Wunderhorn in 1808. Rock the cradle in time with the beat. Verse 3 calls the Christ child the lamb that died for us and verse 5 threatens a dog that bites, so choose the verses you sing tonight.

Where it comes from

The words: Achim von Arnim and Clemens Brentano (eds.), Des Knaben Wunderhorn, Dritter Band, Kinderlieder (Mohr und Zimmer, 1808).

The tune: de.wikipedia 'Schlaf, Kindlein, schlaf', Melodie section: the article's LilyPond score block, Johann Friedrich Reichardt's 1781 setting after Klusen, Deutsche Lieder, p. 706 (F major, 2/4). Cross-checked against Erk and Boehme, Deutscher Liederhort III (1894) no. 1806 p. 579 (archive.org bub_gb_NuwzAQAAMAAJ leaf n585) and Boehme, Deutsches Kinderlied und Kinderspiel (1897) no. 127 p. 36 (archive.org DeutschesKinderliedUndKinderspiel leaf n112): same key, metre and phrase shape, the last five bars note for note. Both folk-song prints set the pickup on 'Der' as one low note; Reichardt's two-sixteenth pickup f-a is engraved here as the single eighth a it rises to, one syllable to one note

From the book

Bilingual Bedtime

Thirty-Seven German Songs for Children

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Guten Abend, gut' NachtAll 37 songs
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