by Anonymous / Unidentified Author
Weil ich sterblich bin geboren
Language: German (Deutsch)  after the Greek (Ελληνικά)
Available translation(s): ENG ITA
Weil ich sterblich bin geboren,
Um den Lebensweg zu wandern:
Kann ich zwar die Bahn bestimmen,
Die ich schon durchlaufen habe,
Aber nicht, wieviel mir übrig.
Nun so laßt mich denn, ihr Sorgen,
Nichts hab' ich mit euch zu schaffen!
Scherzen, lachen, tanzen will ich
Mit dem schönen Gott der Reben,
Eh' der Tod mich überraschet.
About the headline (FAQ)
Confirmed with Anakreons Gedichte, nebst zwey andern anakreontischen Gedichten, und den Oden der Sappho. Aus dem Griechischen in die Versarten des Originals übersetzt, Leipzig, bey Weidmanns Erben und Reich, 1776, page 55.
Authorship:
Based on:
- a text in Greek (Ελληνικά) by Anacreon (c582BCE - c485BCE), "Εις εαυτον", appears in Odes, no. 24
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- ENG English (John H. Campbell) , "To thyself", copyright ©, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- ITA Italian (Italiano) (Amelia Maria Imbarrato) , "A sé stesso", copyright © 2006, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [
Administrator]
This text was added to the website: 2003-10-20
Line count: 10
Word count: 56
A sé stesso
Language: Italian (Italiano)  after the German (Deutsch)
Poi che nacqui mortale,
per andare la via della vita,
posso conoscere il cammino
che ho già percorso,
ma non quanto me ne resta,
non quanto me ne resta,
quanto me ne resta ancora.
Quindi, lasciatemi ora, preoccupazioni,
non ho niente a che fare con voi!
Scherzare, ridere, ballare io voglio
col bel nume della vite,
prima che la morte mi sorprenda.
Authorship:
Based on:
Based on:
- a text in Greek (Ελληνικά) by Anacreon (c582BCE - c485BCE), "Εις εαυτον", appears in Odes, no. 24
This text was added to the website: 2006-08-21
Line count: 12
Word count: 62