Sephestia's Lullaby (Greene, set by B. Britten) (The Lied and Art Song Texts Page: Texts and Translations to Lieder, mélodies, canzoni, and other classical vocal music)


Weep not, my wanton, smile upon my knee;
When thou art old there's grief enough for thee.

Mother's wag, pretty boy,
Father's sorrow, father's joy;
When thy father first did see
Such a boy by him and me,

He was glad, I was woe;
Fortune changed made him so,
When he left his pretty boy,
Last his sorrow, first his joy

Weep not, my wanton, smile upon my knee;
When thou art old there's grief enough for thee

The wanton smiled, father wept,
Mother cried, baby leapt;
More he crow'ed, more we cried,
Nature could not sorrow hide:

He must go, he must kiss
Child and mother, baby bliss,
For he left his pretty boy,
Father's sorrow, father's joy.

Weep not my wanton, smile upon my knee
When thou art old there's grief enough for thee.

Input by Yvonne Helander

Authorship

Robert Greene (1558-1592)

Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive)

(Edward) Benjamin Britten (1913-1976)

A Charm of Lullabies

Added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.

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