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
To thyself
Language: English  after the German (Deutsch)
Because I am mortal born,
this life to wander through,
I did choose the path
that I already have traveled,
but not how much remains to me,
not how much to me remains,
how much still remains for me.
So now let me be, you worries,
nought have I to do with you!
Joking, laughing, dancing is what I want
with the beautiful God of the vines,
before death does surprise me.
Authorship:
- Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © by John H. Campbell, (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:
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: 2003-10-20
Line count: 12
Word count: 72