by
Gottfried Keller (1819 - 1890)
Läg' ich, wo es Hyänen gibt
Language: German (Deutsch)
Available translation(s): ENG FRE
Läg' ich, wo es Hyänen gibt, im Sand,
Wie wollt ich hoffnungsvoll die Nacht erharren,
Bis hungrig eine käme hergerannt,
Mich heulend aus der lockern Gruft zu scharren!
Wie wollt ich freudig mit dem gier'gen Tier
Dann um mein Leben, unermüdlich, ringen!
Im Sande balgt ich mich herum mit ihr,
Und weiß gewiß, ich würde sie bezwingen.
Und auf den Rücken schwäng die Bestie ich
Und spräng im Leichentuch, wie neugeboren,
Und singend heimwärts und schlüg wonniglich
Dem Arzt den Leichengräber um die Ohren!
Authorship:
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, and transliterations (if applicable):
- ENG English (Martin Stock) , title 1: "If I lay in the sand where hyenas roam", copyright © 2004, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- FRE French (Français) (Pierre Mathé) , title 1: "Si je gisais dans le sable", copyright © 2010, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [
Administrator]
This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 12
Word count: 84
If I lay in the sand where hyenas roam
Language: English  after the German (Deutsch)
If I lay in the sand where hyenas roam
With hope I would await the night
When a hungry one came running
To dig me up with howls from the loosely filled grave!
How I would struggle with the greedy beast,
Unflaggingly, to save my life!
We would be fighting, rolling in the sand
And I am sure that I would conquer.
I'd throw the beast down on its back
And jump about, a new-born, in my shroud,
Singing merrily while homeward-bound
I'd throw the undertaker into the doctor's face!
Authorship:
- Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2004 by Martin Stock, (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:
This text was added to the website: 2004-04-10
Line count: 12
Word count: 90