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Grau bereits sind meine Schläfen, und das Haupt ist weiß geworden, Hin, dahin die holde Jugend; schon gealtert sind die Zähne. Von dem süßen Leben ist mir nur ein Restchen Zeit [noch übrig]1. Oft mit Tränen dies [bejammr']2 ich, vor dem Tartaros erbebend. Denn entsetzlich ist des Hades Tiefe, leidvoll seine Straße, Offen [stets]3 der Stieg, hinunter --, nimmermehr herauf zu gehen.
About the headline (FAQ)
View text without footnotes1 Eisler: "geblieben"
2 Eisler: "bedaur'"
3 Eisler: "steht"
Text Authorship:
- by Eduard Mörike (1804 - 1875), no title, appears in Griechische Lyrik, in 5. Anakreon Lieder, no. 37 [author's text checked 1 time against a primary source]
Based on:
- a text in Greek (Ελληνικά) by Anacreon (c582BCE - c485BCE) [text unavailable]
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
- by Hanns Eisler (1898 - 1962), "Die Unwürde des Alterns", 1943, from Anakreontische Fragmente, no. 3 [sung text checked 1 time]
- by Hanns Eisler (1898 - 1962), "Die Unwürde des Alterns", from Hollywooder Liederbuch, no. 33 [sung text checked 1 time]
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- ENG English (Sharon Krebs) , copyright © 2016, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- FRE French (Français) (Pierre Mathé) , "Les flétrissures de l'âge", copyright © 2019, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
This text was added to the website: 2003-10-18
Line count: 6
Word count: 66
My temples are already grey, and my head has become white, Gone, gone my lovely youth; my teeth have already aged. Of my sweet life, only a little scrap of time [is still left]1 for me. Often with tears I [bewail]2 this, trembling before Tartarus. For appalling are the depths of Hades, sorrow-laden its street, [Always open is]3 the path by which one descends--, never again to ascend.
About the headline (FAQ)
View text without footnotesTranslation of title "Die Unwürde des Alterns" = "The ignominy of aging"
1 Eisler: "still remains"
2 Eisler: "regret"
3 Eisler: "open stands"
Text Authorship:
- Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2016 by Sharon Krebs, (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 Eduard Mörike (1804 - 1875), no title, appears in Griechische Lyrik, in 5. Anakreon Lieder, no. 37
Based on:
- a text in Greek (Ελληνικά) by Anacreon (c582BCE - c485BCE) [text unavailable]
This text was added to the website: 2016-09-16
Line count: 6
Word count: 71