Better a little than nothing | The obstructive stone upon the path through the field

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by Rudolph Baumbach (1840 - 1905)

Translation © by Sharon Krebs

Besser wenig, als nichts

Language: German (Deutsch)

Our translations: ENG

Auf dem Feldweg den hemmenden Stein
   Schieb' ich zur Seite,
Daß, wer pilgert hinter mir drein,
   Sicherer schreite.

Leider hemmen den Wanderlauf
   Steine noch viele.
Nimmer, läs' ich sie sämtlich auf,
   Käm' ich zum Ziele.

Sitzt ein Bettler mit bleichem Gesicht
   Hungernd am Raine.
Alle Thränen trocknest du nicht;
   Trockne die eine!

Confirmed with Neue Monatshefte, V. Jahrgang (1890/91), Heft 11 (Juli 1891), page 534.

Text Authorship:

by Rudolph Baumbach (1840 - 1905), "Besser wenig, als nichts" [author's text checked 1 time 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 Alfred Honndorf (1870 - 1919), "Besser wenig, als nichts", op. 16 no. 1, published 1896 [ mixed chorus ], Leipzig: Vormeyer [sung text not yet checked]

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

ENG English (Sharon Krebs) , "Better a little than nothing", copyright © 2021, (re)printed on this website with kind permission

Researcher for this page: Sharon Krebs [Guest Editor]

This text was added to the website: 2021-10-31
Line count: 12
Word count: 52

Better a little than nothing

Language: English after the German (Deutsch)

The obstructive stone upon the path through the field 
   I push to the side,
So that whoever comes wandering after me
   May stride more safely.

Unfortunately, the wanderer's path is encumbered
   By many stones yet.
If I picked them all up, I would
   Never reach my goal.

A beggar with a pale face is sitting,
   Hungry, at the edge of the marge.
You shall not be able to dry all tears;
   Dry this one!

Text Authorship:

Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2021 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.
Contact: licenses@email.lieder.example.net

Based on:

a text in German (Deutsch) by Rudolph Baumbach (1840 - 1905), "Besser wenig, als nichts"
- Go to the text page.

This text was added to the website: 2021-10-31
Line count: 12
Word count: 74