At evening, I cannot sleep

At evening, I cannot sleep,

To my sweetheart must I go,

To my sweetheart I must go,

And I must stand at her door,

Quite secretly!

"Who's there, then? Who is knocking,

Who can awaken me so gently?"

It is your sweetheart,

Get up, my treasure, and let me in,

Quite secretly!

If all the stars were good scribes,

And all the clouds were made of paper,

And they were to write to my love,

They could not summarize my love in one letter,

Quite secretly!

Ah, had I feathers like a rooster,

And could swim as does a swan,

Then I would swimm across the Rhine

To see my heart's beloved,

Quite secretly!