Abends an Deinem Bett [English translation]

I am standing here, once again, in silence,

at your bedside and, once again,

I stroke your hair lightly.

You lie before me, deep in sleep,

so peaceful, like a tiny animal

that had been busy the livelong day.

And your helplessness touches me,

so as to squeeze my throat.

And once more it dawns on me

that I care about you now,

I, elder "Dissipated Brother”.

How important I am all of a sudden.

At your bedside at night

Importance is reduced to triviality.

I stand before you, dismayed

and full of gratitude, and I experience

a kind of humility, child of mine.

No more am I my own self

No. I won’t be entirely free anymore.

Carefree and unburdened.

You will steer

every decision, every step,

Every thought I shall come up with.

But I am willingly prepared

to trade my improvidence

And I’d exchange my piece of mind

for the knot hanging on to me,

the cry of joy I encounter

when I return at night.

Well, goodnight, your day was long.

If I haven’t been too successful

to be the one I should have liked to be,

Then please have patience with me, for, you know,

I am still learning to that effect.

I might know a lot more by tomorrow.

And if I were impatient,

Rude or even unreasonable,

then you must please forgive me.

Actually, I should know

that I am the bigger one.

Wish I could be the wiser one as well.