I am a young German man with a ponytail [symbol of elegance], but without a sword [not aristocratic],
I am quite agreeable and very well educated;
I observe our forefathers’ morality whole-heartedly,
I honor and love the king and am a German man!

I know to give masculine advice, when among men,
But eschew all political arguments.
I play various fashionable card games,
But never risk too much money.

With men I drink plenty of alcohol [punch, grog, beer, schnaps] and eat beefsteak.

I can also shoot a gun quite well,
But I know that gunpowder is a dangerous game!
My mother taught me to be careful
Because death yawns out of a gun’s barrel.

With good friends I go hunting sometimes
But have not had much luck, to tell you the truth;
And my sleigh I drive during sleigh rides
And also ride a horse with spurs like a gentleman.

When I am among women, I am tender and adroit,
Choosing words daintily, above all I’m always charming;
Four times I made my feet practice to dance
And bow as fashion demands it.

I play all parlor games,
I can quote and perform many a pretty song,
I can sing it while playing guitar with expression and emotions.

I know by heart how to say things with flowers and I can
Tie a bouquet according to the meaning I want to convey!
A gentle pressure of the hand while dancing
Has won me hair curls, ribbons, even flower bouquets and wreaths.

I also honor women, like every German man does,
I love my female cousins, and secretly at times I have
With sweet longing looked at a girl,
But never dared to do more than look and press the hand.

Once, while inspired by wine, I serenaded in the quiet night
Underneath the window of my chosen one,
But it had bad consequences, because the following day
My supervisor prohibited such “nonsense”, as he called it.

But that’s behind me now! Youth has its privileges,
One loved, flirted, and that was part of being a boy;
Now that one has become a man, one thinks of one’s position and bread [salary],
Because those things above all are needed to be happy.

Then one strides along to marry, like a normal man should,
One takes an industrious housewife, who is adorned with money and possessions,
Who takes tender care of us when we are old,
And who raises our children to be “God-fearing.”