He sä mi so vel
vun Klaus Groth
[jüst so | ebenfalls: „Mien Jehann“]
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He Told Me So Much
by Klaus Groth 
[likewise: “My Jehann”]
Translation: R. F. Hahn ©2002

1.

He sä mi so vel, un ik sä em keen Wort,
Un all wat ik sä, weer: Jehann, ik mutt fort!

He told me so much, and I said nothing. No.
And all that I said was “Jehann, I must go!”

He sä mi vun Lev un vun Himmel un Eer,
He sä mi vun allens – ik weet ni mal mehr!

He told me of love, things above and below.
He told me of so much ... I no longer know.

He sä mi so vel, un ik sä em keen Wort,
Un all wat ik sä, weer: Jehann, ik mutt fort!

He told me so much, and I said nothing. No.
And all that I said was “Jehann, I must go!”

He heel mi de Hann’, un he be mi so dull,
Ik schull em doch gut wen, un ob ik ni wull?

He kept holding my hands, and he pleaded a lot,
And he asked that I love him, and would I or not.

Ik weer je ni bös, awer sä doch keen Wort,
Un all wat ik sä, weer: Jehann, ik mutt fort!

No, I wasn’t annoyed, but I said nothing. No.
And all that I said was “Jehann, I must go!”

Nu sitt ik un denk, un denk jümmer deran,
Mi düch, ik muss seggt hebbn: Wa geern, mi Jehann!

Here I’m sitting and thinking and think day by day
What I should have said was “Jehann, sure, I’ll stay.”

Un doch, kumt dat wedder, so segg ik keen Wort,
Un hollt he mi, segg ik: Jehann, ik mutt fort!
 

Yet, could I go back I would say nothing. No.
If he clung to me I’d say “Jehann, I must go!”