| Ihr waret Schmetterlinge | You were butterflies |
| Ihr waret Schmetterlinge | You were butterflies |
| Mit lichtbeglänzter Schwinge, | with glittering wings, |
| Es hatte keine Luft | no breeze had disturbed |
| Genascht an eurem Duft. | your fragrance. |
| Und wo ihr das Gefieder | And wherever you |
| Auch lassen mochtet nieder, | you wanted to settle, |
| Da war, wie eur Gemüth, | there were, like your nature, |
| Rein eine Blum' erblüht. | only flowers blooming. |
| Ihr habt nur Duft gesogen, | You were only smelling the air |
| Und seid in Duft entflogen, | and were sucked away by it, |
| Von Blütenraub gelebt, | living by robbing flowers, |
| Wie Blütenstaub entschwebt. | like pollen blown away. |
| Ihr braucht nicht umzuschweifen, | You don't need to wander around, |
| Um Erdstoff abzustreifen; | to roam the earth, |
| Euch trägt in gradem Zug | you're on a direct course |
| Zum Himmel euer Flug. | to heaven. |
| Wir andern werden müßen | We others will have to |
| Erst Erdenschuld abbüßen, | atone for our earthly sins, |
| Eh wir hin dürfen nahn, | before we will may go there |
| Wo ihr uns sollt empfahn. | where you will receive us. |