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possibly by Karl August Engelhardt (1768 - 1834)
Translation © by Malcolm Wren

Die Advokaten
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Our translations:  CAT DUT ENG FRE
1. Advocat
 Mein Herr, ich komm' mich anzufragen,
 Ob denn der Herr Sempronius
 Schon die Expensen abgetragen,
 Die er an mich bezahlen muß. 

2. Advocat
 Noch hab' ich nichts von ihm bekommen,
 Doch kommt er heute selbst zu mir,
 Da soll er uns nicht mehr entkommen,
 Ich bitt', erwarten sie ihn hier.

1. Advocat
 Die Expenses zu saldiren
 Ist der Partheyen erste Pflicht.

2. Advocat
 Sonst geht es neu an's Prozessiren
 Und das behagt den meisten nicht.

Beide Advocaten
 O justitia praestantissima,
 Die, wenn sie manchem bitter ist,
 Doch der Doktoren nie vergißt.

2. Advocat
 Jetzt trinken wir ein Gläschen Wein,
 Doch still, man klopft, wer ist's? herein!

Sempronius
 Ich bin der Herr Sempronius,
 Komm grad vom Land herein,
 Die Reise machte ich zu Fuß,
 Ich muß wohl sparsam seyn,
 Denn ich hab's leider auch probirt,
 Und hab' ein Weilchen prozessirt. 

Beide Advocaten
 Mein Herr, wir suppliciren,
 Die Nota zu saldiren.

Sempronius
 Ey, ey, Geduld, ich weiß es wohl,
 Daß ich die Zech bezahlen soll,
 Nur eine Auskunft möcht' ich gern
 Von ihnen meine Herrn.

Beide Advocaten
 Sehr wohl, doch dieß Colloquium
 Heißt bey uns ein Consilium
 Und kommt ins Expensarium.

Sempronius
 Der Zucker und Kaffeh,
 Die Lämmer und das Reh,
 Schmalz, Butter, Mehl und Eyer,
 Rosoglio und Tokayer,
 Und was ich sonst darneben
 In's Haus hab' hergegeben,
 Das rechnet man doch auch mit ein.

Beide Advocaten
 Nein, nein, nein, nein, nein, nein, nein, nein,
 Das ist ein Honorarium,
 G'hört nicht ins Expensarium,
 Davon spricht uns der Richter frei,
 Motiva sind bey der Kanzley. 

Sempronius
 Ey, ey, ey, ey, ey, ey, ey, ey,!

Beide Advocaten
 Wir lassen keinen Groschen fahren,
 Der Himmel wolle uns bewahren,
 Denn uns're Müh' ist nicht gering,
 Fiat justitia.

Sempronius
               Kling, kling, kling, kling.

Alle
 O justitia praestantissima,
 Kling, kling, kling, kling, kling, kling, kling, kling.
 Welche schöne Harmonie,
 Allgemein bezaubert sie,
 Von ihrem Reitz bleibt niemand frey,
 Motiva sind bey der Kanzley,
 Kling, kling, kling, kling, kling, kling, kling, kling.

Note: in stanza 9 of Schubert's song, in the repetition, "Ey, ey, Geduld" becomes "Ey, nur Geduld"


Text Authorship:

  • possibly by Karl August Engelhardt (1768 - 1834) [author's text not yet checked against a primary source]

Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):

  • by Franz Peter Schubert (1797 - 1828), "Die Advokaten", op. 74, D 37 (1812), published 1827 [ vocal trio for 2 tenors and bass with piano ] [sung text checked 1 time]

Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):

  • CAT Catalan (Català) (Salvador Pila) , "Els advocats", copyright © 2019, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
  • DUT Dutch (Nederlands) [singable] (Lau Kanen) , "De advocaten", copyright © 2010, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
  • ENG English (Malcolm Wren) , "The lawyers", copyright © 2016, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
  • FRE French (Français) (Guy Laffaille) , "Les avocats", copyright © 2010, (re)printed on this website with kind permission


Research team for this page: Emily Ezust [Administrator] , Richard Morris , Malcolm Wren [Guest Editor] , Peter Rastl [Guest Editor]

This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 73
Word count: 328

The lawyers
Language: English  after the German (Deutsch) 
1st lawyer
Sir, I have come to ask
Whether Mr Sempronius
Has yet paid the expenses
Which he owes me.

2nd lawyer
No, I haven't had anything from him,
But he himself is coming to me today.
So that he doesn't keep putting us of
Could you please wait for him here?

1st lawyer
Settling the expenses
Is the prime duty of the parties.

2nd lawyer
Otherwise it involves another trial,
Which most people find unpleasant.

Both lawyers
O justitia praestantissima
Which, although it is bitter to most,
Is never forgets its Doctors.

2nd lawyer
Now, let's drink a small glass of wine.
Oh, quiet. There's someone knocking.
Who is there? Come in.

Sempronius
I am Mr Sempronius.
I have come straight here from the country.
I did the journey on foot.
I have to be careful with money
Because unfortunately I have been to trial
And the case has taken quite a while.

Both lawyers
Dear sir, we beg you,
Please ratify the document.

Sempronius
Oh, oh, be patient. I know very well
That I have to pay the bill
But could I just have some information
From you, gentlemen?

Both lawyers
Of course, of course, but this colloquium
Is what we call a consilium
And is added to the expensarium.

Sempronius
All the sugar and coffee,
The lambs and the deer,
Lard, butter, flour and eggs
Bottles of Rosoglio and Tokay,
And all the other stuff
That I have sent to your house - 
Doesn't that count?

Both lawyers
No, no, no,
That is an honorarium
And doesn't belong to the expensarium.
The judge openly says that
Motiva are found at the Chancellery.

Sempronius
Oh, oh, oh!

Both lawyers
We won't let a penny slip away
Heaven forbid.
For our troubles have been considerable.
Fiat Justitia.

Sempronius
Kling, kling, kling.

All
O Justitia praestantissima,
Kling, kling, kling.
What lovely harmony.
Kling, kling, kling.
What lovely harmony.
It enchants everyone.
Noone is free from its charm.
Motiva are found at the Chancellery.
Kling, kling, kling.

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2016 by Malcolm Wren, (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) possibly by Karl August Engelhardt (1768 - 1834)
    • Go to the text page.

 

This text was added to the website: 2016-09-11
Line count: 76
Word count: 337

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