I'm not crazy about either the commonly sung English version of this song or Frank's "fairly literal translation 1998," (ingeb.org) so I've tried to come up with my own "singable translation," based on my own (rudimentary) knowledge of German and on Franks' and others' translations (singable and otherwise).

Please let me know if any part of this is too far off base. I wanted to keep the meaning of the song but without awkward lyrics like "your lips so hale."

Genie
(PS, these lyrics actually do scan correctly. It's just a matter of where you put the rests in the measures.)


Outside the barracks, by the entrance gate,
There stood a street lamp,
That stands there still today.
There we we would want to meet again,
Beneath that lantern we would stand,
As once we did, my Lilli, as once, Lili Marleen. *

Both our shadows merging,
 seeming to be one.

How we loved each other
 was plain to everyone.

I'd stand there for all the world to see
If you stood there again with me
As once, Lilli Marleen, as once, Lilli Marlene.




Well she knows your foot steps,
 your gait so thoroughly.

She's burning every evening,
** though she's long forgotten me.
And should some ill fate fall to me,

Who underneath the lamp will be
With you, Lilli Marleen, with you, Lilly Marleen?



From out this quiet space
 and from this earthly scene,

Your beloved mouth lifts me up as in a dream.
Then when the night mists curl and bend,

By that old lamp I stand again,

As once, Lili Marleen, as once, Lilli Marleen.



*I modified this line a little, since in English we'd be unlikely to just say "we would stand there as once."

** I take it "brennt" in this context means something like "burns with passion," but I'm not sure.   Is he saying that Lilli is still yearning or on fire but she's forgotten him?
Or is he saying her memory burns in his mind but she has forgotten him?

If it's the latter, I'd change the line to something like:
"Her memory burns within me though she's long forgotten me."