Click here to listen to "Under der Linden" read by Albrecht Classen;

 

Under der linden
an der heide,
dâ unser zweier bette was,
dâ mugt ir vinden
schône beide
gebrochen bluomen unde gras.
vor dem walde in einem tal,
tandaradei,
schône sanc diu nategal.

 

Under the lime tree
on the open field,
where we two had our bed,
you still can see
lovely broken              5
flowers and grass.
On the edge of the woods in a vale,
tandaradei,
sweetly sang the nightingale.


2.
Ich kam gegangen
zuo der ouwe:
dô was min friedel komen ê.
dâ wart ich enpfangen,
hêre frouwe,
daz ich bin sælic iemer mê.
kuster mich? wol tûsentstunt:
tandaradei,
seht wie rôt mir ist der munt.



I came walking             10
to the meadow,
my love already was there.
And he received me,
Blessed Lady,
the joy of that will last.       15
Did he kiss me then? A thousand times, at least,
tandaradei,
look now, how my mouth is red.


3.
Dô hât er gemachet
alsô rîche
von bluomen eine bettestat.
des wirt noch gelachet
inneclîche,
kumt iemen an daz selbe pfat.
bî den rôsen er wol mac,
tandaradei
merken wâ mirz houbet lac.



Then he made
a lordly                    20
place to lie in, all of flowers.
There's a good laugh there
even now
for anyone coming that way:
he could tell, by the roses,     25
tandaradei,
just where my head lay.


4.
Daz er bî mir læge,
wessez iemen,
nuenwelle got, sô schamt ich mich.
wes er mit mir pflæge,
niemer niemen
bevinde daz, wan er unde ich,
und ein kleinez vogellîn,
tandaradei,
daz mac wol getriuwe sîn.



If anyone found out,
God forbid, he lay by me,
I'd be ashamed.              30
What he did with me there
may no one ever
know, except for him and me
and one little bird,
tandaradei,                  35
which will not say a word.

                                                                         translation by Fred Goldin