May all evil tongues

May all evil tongues

Speak ever what they wish:

Whoever loves me, I love in return,

And I love and am loved.

Evil, evil gossip is mercilessly

Whispered by your tongues,

But I know that they are only

Craving the blood of the guiltless.

It shall never trouble me,

Gossip as much as you please;

Whoever loves me, I love in return,

And I love and am loved.

Slander is understood and practised

Only by those who are lacking in love and favour,

Because they themselves are miserable,

And no one loves or likes them.

Therefore I think that the love

For which they revile me, gives me honour;

Whoever loves me, I love in return,

And I love and am loved.

If I were made of stone and iron,

You could insist

That I should spurn

Love's greetings and pleadings.

But my heart is unfortunately

Soft, the way God gives them to us maidens;

Whoever loves me, I love in return,

And I love and am loved.