Recitative Narrator
Be quiet, stop chattering,
and pay attention to what's taking place:
here comes Herr Schlendrian
with his daughter Lieschen;
he's growling like a honey bear.
Hear for yourselves, what she has done to him!

Aria Schlendrian
Don't one's children cause one
endless trials & tribulations!
What I say each day
to my daughter Lieschen
falls on stony ground.

Recitative
Schlendrian You wicked child, you disobedient girl,
            oh! when will I get my way;
            give up coffee!
Lieschen    Father, don't be so severe!
            If I can't drink
            my bowl of coffee three times daily,
            then in my torment I will shrivel up
            like a piece of roast goat.

Aria Lieschen
Mm! how sweet the coffee tastes,
more delicious than a thousand kisses,
mellower than muscatel wine.
Coffee, coffee I must have,
and if someone wishes to give me a treat,
ah, then pour me out some coffee!

Recitative
Schlendrian If you don't give up drinking coffee
            then you shan't go to any wedding feast,
            nor go out walking.
            oh! when will I get my way;
            give up coffee!
Lieschen    Oh well!
            Just leave me my coffee!
Schlendrian Now I've got the little minx!
            I won't get you a whalebone skirt
            in the latest fashion.
Lieschen    I can easily live with that.
Schlendrian You're not to stand at the window
            and watch people pass by!
Lieschen    That as well, only I beg of you,
            leave me my coffee!
Schlendrian Furthermore, you shan't be getting
            any silver or gold ribbon
            for your bonnet from me!
Lieschen    Yes, yes! only leave me to my pleasure!
Schlendrian You disobedient Lieschen you,
            so you go along with it all!

Aria Schlendrian
Hard-hearted girls
are not so easily won over.
Yet if one finds their weak spot,
ah! then one comes away successful.

Recitative
Schlendrian Now take heed what your father says!
Lieschen    In everything but the coffee.
Schlendrian Well then, you'll have to resign yourself
            to never taking a husband.
Lieschen    Oh yes! Father, a husband!
Schlendrian I swear it won't happen.
Lieschen    Until I can forgo coffee?
            From now on, coffee, remain forever untouched!
            Father, listen, I won't drink any
Schlendrian Then you shall have a husband at last!

Aria Lieschen
Today even
dear father, see to it!
Oh, a husband!
Really, that suits me splendidly!
If it could only happen soon
that at last, before I go to bed,
instead of coffee
I were to get a proper lover!

Recitative Narrator
Old Schlendrian goes off
to see if he can find a husband forthwith
for his daughter Lieschen;
but Leischen secretly lets it be known:
no suitor is to come to my house
unless he promises me,
and it is also written into the marriage contract,
that I will be permitted
to make myself coffee whenever I want.

Trio
A cat won't stop from catching mice,
and maidens remain faithful to their coffee.
The mother holds her coffee dear,
the grandmother drank it also,
who can thus rebuke the daughters!