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by Hans Bethge (1876 - 1946)
Translation Singable translation by Marie Fantová (1893 - 1963)

Ritt durchs Leben
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Ein Reiter, der vor Tau und Tag
die Straße liebte, zog ich aus,
und meine Hände hielten kaum
die Zügel an dem Sattelknopf,
und meine Stute schnob vor Lust
und dämmte ihrer Füße Sturm
mit Mühe nur. Ich jubelte,
und schlummernd lag das Leben da.

Am hohen Mittag kehr' ich heim
in wundervollem Sonnenlicht,
ein Reiter, der die Freiheit sich
gleich Blüten in die Locken wand,
und meine Hände halten kaum
die Zügel an dem Sattelknopf,
und lachend spring' ich ab vom Gaul,
und leuchtend liegt das Leben da.

Text Authorship:

  • by Hans Bethge (1876 - 1946) [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 Josef Antonín Štěpán (1726 - 1797), "Ritt durchs Leben", op. 7 no. 5 [ low voice and piano ], from April samt Mai, fünf Lieder für tiefere Stimme = Duben i Maj, pět písní pro nižší hlas, no. 5 [sung text checked 1 time]

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

  • CZE Czech (Čeština) [singable] (Marie Fantová) , "Jízda životem"


Researcher for this page: Johann Winkler

This text was added to the website: 2021-07-01
Line count: 16
Word count: 89

Jízda životem
Language: Czech (Čeština)  after the German (Deutsch) 
Já mladý rytíř jedu v dál,
neb cesty rád mám přede dnem,
a uzdu lehce, lehce jen
má pevná, mužná svírá dlaň,
a kůň můj řehtá rozkoší
a krotí bujnou sílu svou
jen s námahou. Můj jásot zní,
a život spí a dýchá mír.

Pak v záru dne se vracím zpět,
když září slunce stopen kraj,
já rytíř, který volností
jak kvítím zdobím temný vlas,
a uzdu lehce, lehce jen
má pevná mužná svírá dlaň,
a v smíchu skočím s koně v ráz,
a září žití proudem krás.

Please note: this text, provided here for educational and research use, is in the public domain in Canada, but it may still be copyright in other legal jurisdictions. The LiederNet Archive makes no guarantee that the above text is public domain in your country. Please consult your country's copyright statutes or a qualified IP attorney to verify whether a certain text is in the public domain in your country or if downloading or distributing a copy constitutes fair use. The LiederNet Archive assumes no legal responsibility or liability for the copyright compliance of third parties.

From a posthumous edition of Štěpán's songs.


Text Authorship:

  • Singable translation by Marie Fantová (1893 - 1963), "Jízda životem"

Based on:

  • a text in German (Deutsch) by Hans Bethge (1876 - 1946)
    • Go to the text page.

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

    [ None yet in the database ]


Researcher for this page: Johann Winkler

This text was added to the website: 2021-07-01
Line count: 16
Word count: 88

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