There was a time, when the male voice
Had so refined a tone,
It whispered kind words.
There was a time, when the heart's voice
Had so serene a tone,
It sang light words.
There was a time, but that dream has died...

I dreamed a dream, a serene dream,
It was a time of hope, a time of love.
And in dreams love is eternal
And God forgives us our weaknesses.

In my youthful years I wasn't scared
That my joyful dreams would fall apart.
Because the price was known by no-one yet..
Songs were sung, wine was poured.

But the wolves bare their fangs.
In their eyes there is lightning,
Hopelessness dwells in them.
They tear apart the beautiful dream.

For a whole summer he dreamt with me.
He filled the night with wonderful trembling.
He drank my sweet childhood from my lips
Then in the autumn he suddenly vanished.

And the dream returns to me again,
We spend long years together.
Yet this is poison, not a dream!
And storms devour every rainbow!

I dreamed a fate which is so different
To this Hell all around.
So different from this wretched world!
Life has trampled
The serene dream.