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Five Fragments from Friedrich Hölderlin
Song Cycle by Hermann Reutter (1900 - 1985)
View original-language texts alone: Fünf Fragmente von Friedrich Hölderlin
Reif sind, in Feuer getaucht, gekochet
Die Frücht' und auf der Erde geprüfet und ein Gesetz ist,
Daß alles hineingeht, Schlangen gleich,
prophetisch träumend auf
Den Hügel des Himmels. Und vieles
Wie auf den Schultern eine
Last von Scheitern ist
Zu behalten. [Aber bös sind
Die Pfade.]1 Nämlich unrecht,
Wie Rosse, gehn die gefangenen
Element und alten
Gesetze der [Erd]2. Und immer
Ins Ungebundene [gehet]3 eine Sehnsucht. [Vieles aber ist
Zu behalten. Und not die Treue.]1
Vorwärts aber und rückwärts wollen wir
Nicht sehn. Uns wiegen lassen, wie
Auf schwankem Kahne der See.
[ ... ]
Authorship:
- by Friedrich Hölderlin (1770 - 1843), "Mnemosyne", Third Version
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Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- ENG English (John Glenn Paton) , "Ripe, dipped in fire", copyright © 2015, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- FRE French (Français) (Stéphane Goldet) (Pierre de Rosamel) , "Ils ont mûri, les fruits", copyright © 2015, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Confirmed with Poems of Friedrich Hölderlin: The Fire of the Gods Drives Us to Set Forth by Day and by Night, selected and translated by James Mitchell, San Francisco, Ithuriel's Spear, 2007, pages 94, 96.
1 omitted by Gielen, Reutter.2 Greif: "Erde"
3 Reutter: "geht"
Researcher for this page: John Glenn Paton [Guest Editor]
Ripe, dipped in fire, cooked are the fruits and tested on the earth, and it is a law, that everything goes in, like snakes, prophetically dreaming on the grave-mound of Heaven. And much, as on the shoulders a load of logs, must be kept. [... ...] For crookedly, like horses, go the trapped elements and old laws of the earth. And always there is yearning that seeks the unbound. [ ... ...] But we want to look forwards and not backwards. Let ourselves be cradled as on a swaying sea-skiff.
Authorship:
- Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2015 by John Glenn Paton, (re)printed on this website with kind permission. To reprint and distribute this author's work for concert programs, CD booklets, etc., you may ask the copyright-holder(s) directly or ask us; we are authorized to grant permission on their behalf. Please provide the translator's name when contacting us.
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Based on:
- a text in German (Deutsch) by Friedrich Hölderlin (1770 - 1843), "Mnemosyne", Third Version
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This text was added to the website: 2015-12-17
Line count: 17
Word count: 90
Indessen laß mich wandeln und wilde Beeren pflücken, zu löschen die Liebe zu dir an deinen Pfaden, o Erd', hier wo Rosendornen und süße Linden duften neben den Buchen, des Mittags, wenn im falben Kornfeld das Wachstum rauscht, an geradem Halm, und den Nacken die Ähre seitwärts beugt, dem Herbste gleich. Jetzt aber unter hohem Gewölbe der Eichen, da ich sinn' und aufwärts frage, der Glockenschlag, mir wohlbekannt, fernher tönt, goldklingend, um die Stunde, wenn der Vogel wieder wacht.
Authorship:
- by Friedrich Hölderlin (1770 - 1843)
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Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- ENG English (John Glenn Paton) , "Meanwhile let me walk about", copyright © 2015, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Meanwhile let me walk about and pick wild berries, to quench my love for you on your paths, O Earth, here where rosethorns and sweet lindens perfume along with the beeches, at midday, when in the pale yellow cornfield there is a murmur of growth, on the straight stalk, and the ear of grain bends its neck to the side, as in the autumn. But now, under the high vault of the oaks, where I ponder and question skywards, the stroke of the bell, familiar to me, sounds from afar, with a golden tone, at the hour when the bird awakens again.
Authorship:
- Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2015 by John Glenn Paton, (re)printed on this website with kind permission. To reprint and distribute this author's work for concert programs, CD booklets, etc., you may ask the copyright-holder(s) directly or ask us; we are authorized to grant permission on their behalf. Please provide the translator's name when contacting us.
Contact: licenses@email.lieder.example.net
Based on:
- a text in German (Deutsch) by Friedrich Hölderlin (1770 - 1843)
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This text was added to the website: 2015-12-17
Line count: 15
Word count: 102
Möchte ich ein Komet sein? Ich glaube. Denn sie haben die Schnelligkeit der Vögel, sie blühen am Feuer, und sind wie Kinder an Reinheit. Größeres zu wünschen, kann nicht des Menschen Natur sich vermessen.
Authorship:
- by Friedrich Hölderlin (1770 - 1843)
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Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- ENG English (John Glenn Paton) , "Would I like to be a comet?", copyright © 2015, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Would I like to be a comet? I think so. Because they have the speed of birds, they bloom with fire, and are like children in their purity. To wish for something greater, human nature cannot presume.
Authorship:
- Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2015 by John Glenn Paton, (re)printed on this website with kind permission. To reprint and distribute this author's work for concert programs, CD booklets, etc., you may ask the copyright-holder(s) directly or ask us; we are authorized to grant permission on their behalf. Please provide the translator's name when contacting us.
Contact: licenses@email.lieder.example.net
Based on:
- a text in German (Deutsch) by Friedrich Hölderlin (1770 - 1843)
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This text was added to the website: 2015-12-17
Line count: 9
Word count: 37
Wie Vögel langsam ziehn -- es blicket voraus der Fürst und kühl wehn um die Brust ihm die Begegnisse, wenn es um ihn schweiget, hoch in der Luft. Reich glänzend aber hinab das Gut ihm liegt der Länder und mit ihm sind das erstemal siegforschend die Jungen. Er aber mäßiget mit der Fittiche Schlag.
Authorship:
- by Friedrich Hölderlin (1770 - 1843)
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Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- ENG English (John Glenn Paton) , "As migratory birds slowly fly over", copyright © 2015, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
As migratory birds slowly fly over -- the prince looks out ahead and like a cool breeze on his chest are events when there is silence around him high in the air; but richly gleaming, down below, lie the lands that belong to him, and with him are the youths striving for victory for the first time. But he moderates with the beat of his wings.
Authorship:
- Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2015 by John Glenn Paton, (re)printed on this website with kind permission. To reprint and distribute this author's work for concert programs, CD booklets, etc., you may ask the copyright-holder(s) directly or ask us; we are authorized to grant permission on their behalf. Please provide the translator's name when contacting us.
Contact: licenses@email.lieder.example.net
Based on:
- a text in German (Deutsch) by Friedrich Hölderlin (1770 - 1843)
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This text was added to the website: 2015-12-17
Line count: 10
Word count: 65
Vom Abgrund nämlich haben wir angefangen und sind gegangen dem Leuen gleich, in Zweifel und Ärgernis, denn sinnlicher sind Menschen im Brand der Wüste, lichttrunken, und der Tiergeist ruhet mit ihnen. Bald aber wird, wie ein Hund, umgehn in der Hitze meine Stimme auf den Gassen der Gärten.
Authorship:
- by Friedrich Hölderlin (1770 - 1843)
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Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- ENG English (John Glenn Paton) , "From the abyss actually", copyright © 2015, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
From the abyss actually we began and have gone like a lion in doubt and irritation, because humans are more sensual in the heat of the desert, drunk with light, and the animal spirit is in them. Soon, however, like a dog, my voice will go around in the heat on the paths of the gardens.
Authorship:
- Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2015 by John Glenn Paton, (re)printed on this website with kind permission. To reprint and distribute this author's work for concert programs, CD booklets, etc., you may ask the copyright-holder(s) directly or ask us; we are authorized to grant permission on their behalf. Please provide the translator's name when contacting us.
Contact: licenses@email.lieder.example.net
Based on:
- a text in German (Deutsch) by Friedrich Hölderlin (1770 - 1843)
Go to the single-text view
This text was added to the website: 2015-12-17
Line count: 11
Word count: 56