(ruft mit seinem Pfeifchen) (Calls with his whistle) Papagena! Papagena! Papagena! Papagena! Papagena! Papagena! Weibchen! Täubchen! meine Schöne! Little-woman! Little-dove! My beautiful-one! Vergebens! Ach sie ist verloren! In-vain! Ah she is lost! Ich bin zum Unglück schon geboren. I was for misfortune certainly born. Ich plauderte, - und das war schlecht, I chattered, - and that was bad, Darum geschieht es mir schon recht. And-therefore happened it to-me certainly justly! Seit ich gekostet diesen Wein Since I tasted this wine - Seit ich das schöne Weibchen sah Since I the beautiful little-woman saw - So brennts im Herzenskämmerlein, so burns-it in-the heart's-little-chamber, So zwickt es hier, so zwickt es da. so pinches it here, so pinches it there. English translation (calling with his panpipe) Papagena, Papagena, Papagena! Little wife, little dove, my pretty! No use! Ah, she is lost! I was born for misfortune. I have been chattering, and that was wrong, and so I am getting my deserts. Ever since I tasted that wine... since I saw the pretty little woman, my little heart has been burning, with twinges here, twinges there. Papagena, little wife of my heart! Papagena, dear little dove! It's no good, it is useless; I've had enough of my life! Death puts an end to love, however much my heart is on fire. (He takes a rope) I will grace that tree there, tie my neck to it; because life is not to my liking; good night, false world. Because you treat me ill, sending me no pretty child, it's all over, I shall die. Pretty girls, think of me. If in my misery one of you will yet take pity on me before I hang, well and good, this time I'll leave it at that! Just call yes or no! No one can hear me, everything's quiet! So is it your will? Papageno, up there smartly! Put an end to your life. Now I'll just wait, let's say until we've counted one, two, three. (piping) One!... Two!... Three!... Right then! That's still how it is! Since there is nothing holding me back, good night, false world! (he goes to hang himself)
Papagena! Herzenstäubchen! Papagena! Heart's-little-wife! Papagena! liebes Täubchen! Papagena! Beloved little-dove! 'S ist umsonst! Es ist vergebens', It-is-(all) for-nothing! It is-(all) in-vain, Müde bin ich meines Lebens! Tirred am I of-my life! Sterben macht der Lieb' ein End Dying will-make of love an end, Wenns im Herzen noch so brennt. even-when-it in-the heart still so burns. (nimmt einen Strick von seiner Mitte) (He takes a rope from his waist) Diesen Baum da will ich zieren, This tree here will I decorate, Mir an ihm den Hals zuschnüren, by-me on it the neck to tie-up,
Weil das Leben mir missfällt. Because the life me displeases. Gute Nacht, du schwarze Welt! Good night, you dark world! Weil du böse an mir handelst, Because you wickedly with me have-handled, Mir kein schönes Kind zubandelst, To-me no beautiful child has-bound, So ists aus, so sterbe ich: so it-is over, so die I; Schöne Mädchen, denkt an mich! Beautiful girl, think of me! Will sich eine um mich Armen, Will themselves one for me the-poor-one, Eh' ich hänge, noch erbarmen, before I hang, still take-pity? Wohl, so lass ichs diesmal seyn! Well so let I-it this-time be! Rufet nur - ja, oder nein! Call-out just: yes or no! Keine hört mich; alles stille! No-one hears me, all is-quiet!
Also ist es euer Wille? Then it is your will? Papageno, frisch hinauf! Papageno, quick get-to-it! Ende deinen Lebenslauf. End your life-journey, Nun ich warte noch; es sei! Well I ll wait a-while, let it-be! Bis man zählt: Eins, zwei, drei! Until one counts: one, two, three! Eins! One! Zwei! Two!
Zwei ist schon vorbei! Two is soon finished! Drei! Three! Nun wohlan, es bleibt dabei, Oh-well (on with-it), it remains so, Weil mich nichts zurücke hält! since me nothing back holds; Gute Nacht, du falsche Welt! Good night, you false word! (will sich hängen) Goes himself to-hang