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Quattro canti seri
by Johannes Brahms (1833 - 1897)
View original-language texts alone: Vier ernste Gesänge
Denn es gehet dem Menschen wie dem Vieh, wie dies stirbt, so stirbt er auch; und haben alle einerlei Odem; und der Mensch hat nichts mehr denn das Vieh: denn es ist alles eitel. Es fährt alles an einen Ort; es ist alles von Staub gemacht, und wird wieder zu Staub. Wer weiss, ob der Geist des Menschen aufwärts fahre, und der Odem des Viehes unterwärts unter die Erde fahre? Darum sahe ich, daß nichts bessers ist, denn dass der Mensch fröhlich sei in seiner Arbeit, denn das ist sein Teil. Denn wer will ihn dahin bringen, dass er sehe, was nach ihm geschehen wird?
Authorship:
- by Bible or other Sacred Texts , no title, Ecclesiastes 3:19-22 [an adaptation]
Based on:
- a text in Latin by Bible or other Sacred Texts , from Ecclesiastes 3:19-22
Go to the single-text view
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- DUT Dutch (Nederlands) [singable] (Lau Kanen) , copyright © 2015, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- ENG English [singable] (Paul England)
- ENG English (Laura Prichard) , copyright © 2023, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- FRE French (Français) [singable] (Frieda Boutarel) (Amédée Boutarel)
- ITA Italian (Italiano) (Ferdinando Albeggiani) , copyright © 2008, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- SPA Spanish (Español) (Susana Martin Dudoignon) , copyright © 2022, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Confirmed with The Holy Bible: German Luther Translation, Grand Rapids, MI: Christian Classics Ethereal Library, The Unbound Bible project, 2002. Note: the spelling has been modernized.
Note: There is a typo in Brahms's score in stanza 3, line 2, word 2. The score incorrectly has "das" here.
Research team for this page: Emily Ezust [Administrator] , Laura Prichard [Guest Editor]
Poiché uomini e bestie hanno identica sorte; muoiono queste, come anche lui muore; e tutti hanno un identico respiro, e niente ha l'uomo più della bestia: poiché tutto è vanità. Tutto va verso un unico luogo, tutto viene dalla polvere e ritornerà polvere. Chi può sapere, se l'anima dell'uomo salirà in alto e se il respiro delle bestie discenderà sotto terra? Perciò ho compreso che non c'è cosa migliore che l'uomo faccia il suo lavoro in letizia, perché questo è il suo compito. Poiché chi potrà condurlo a vedere, ciò che avverrà dopo di lui?
Authorship:
- Translation from German (Deutsch) to Italian (Italiano) copyright © 2008 by Ferdinando Albeggiani, (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 Bible or other Sacred Texts , no title, Ecclesiastes 3:19-22 [an adaptation]
Based on:
- a text in Latin by Bible or other Sacred Texts , from Ecclesiastes 3:19-22
Go to the single-text view
This text was added to the website: 2008-04-26
Line count: 17
Word count: 95
Ich wandte mich und sahe an, alle, die Unrecht leiden unter der Sonne; Und siehe, da waren Tränen derer, Die Unrecht litten und hatten keinen Tröster; Und die ihnen Unrecht täten, waren zu mächtig, Dass sie keinen Tröster haben konnten. Da lobte ich die Toten, Die schon gestorben waren Mehr als die Lebendigen, Die noch das Leben hatten; Und der noch nicht ist, ist besser, als alle beide, Und des Bösen nicht inne wird, Das unter der Sonne geschieht.
Authorship:
- by Bible or other Sacred Texts , no title, Ecclesiastes, 4:1-3 [an adaptation]
Based on:
- a text in Latin by Bible or other Sacred Texts , from Ecclesiastes, 4:1-3
Go to the single-text view
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- DUT Dutch (Nederlands) [singable] (Lau Kanen) , copyright © 2015, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- ENG English (Laura Prichard) , copyright © 2023, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- ITA Italian (Italiano) (Ferdinando Albeggiani) , copyright © 2008, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- SPA Spanish (Español) (Susana Martin Dudoignon) , copyright © 2022, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Confirmed with The Holy Bible: German Luther Translation, Grand Rapids, MI: Christian Classics Ethereal Library, The Unbound Bible project, 2002. Note: the spelling has been modernized.
Research team for this page: Emily Ezust [Administrator] , Laura Prichard [Guest Editor]
Io mi volsi a considerare Tutti quelli che, sotto il sole, hanno patito ingiustizia; E ho visto che hanno versato lacrime Senza ricevere alcun conforto; E quelli che loro fecero torto erano troppo potenti, per avere chi li consolasse. E allora lodai i morti, che già erano scomparsi, più dei vivi, che ancora continuavano la loro esistenza; e più fortunati di entrambi stimai quelli ancora non nati che non si accorgono del male che si fa sotto il sole.
Authorship:
- Translation from German (Deutsch) to Italian (Italiano) copyright © 2008 by Ferdinando Albeggiani, (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 Bible or other Sacred Texts , no title, Ecclesiastes, 4:1-3 [an adaptation]
Based on:
- a text in Latin by Bible or other Sacred Texts , from Ecclesiastes, 4:1-3
Go to the single-text view
This text was added to the website: 2008-04-26
Line count: 13
Word count: 79
O Tod, wie bitter bist du, Wenn an dich gedenket ein Mensch, Der gute Tage und genug hat Und ohne Sorge lebet; Und dem es wohl geht in allen Dingen Und [noch wohl]1 essen mag! O Tod, wie bitter bist du. O Tod, wie wohl tust du dem Dürftigen, Der da schwach und alt ist, Der in allen Sorgen steckt, Und nichts Bessers zu hoffen, Noch zu erwarten hat! O Tod, wie wohl tust du!
Authorship:
- by Bible or other Sacred Texts , from Ecclesiasticus (Sirach), 41:1-2. [an adaptation]
Based on:
- a text in Latin by Bible or other Sacred Texts , Sirach, 41:1-4
See other settings of this text.
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- DUT Dutch (Nederlands) [singable] (Lau Kanen) , copyright © 2015, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- ENG English (Laura Prichard) , copyright © 2023, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- ITA Italian (Italiano) (Ferdinando Albeggiani) , copyright © 2008, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- SPA Spanish (Español) (Susana Martin Dudoignon) , copyright © 2022, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
1 Reger: "wohl noch"
Research team for this page: Emily Ezust [Administrator] , Johann Winkler
O Morte, quanto sei amara, se a te pensa un uomo che ha giorni sereni e possiede abbastanza vivendo senza preoccupazioni; e a cui tutte le cose vanno bene e ancora può godere del cibo! O Morte, quanto sei amara! O Morte, quanto sei benigna al bisognoso, che è debole e vecchio, pieno di ogni sorta di preoccupazioni, e non ha più niente da sperare né da attendersi di meglio! O Morte, quanto sei benigna!
Authorship:
- Translation from German (Deutsch) to Italian (Italiano) copyright © 2008 by Ferdinando Albeggiani, (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 Bible or other Sacred Texts , from Ecclesiasticus (Sirach), 41:1-2. [an adaptation]
Based on:
- a text in Latin by Bible or other Sacred Texts , Sirach, 41:1-4
Go to the single-text view
This text was added to the website: 2008-04-26
Line count: 13
Word count: 75
1 Wenn ich mit Menschen - und mit Engelzungen redete
und hätte der Liebe nicht,
so wäre ich ein tönend Erz oder eine klingende Schelle.
Und wenn ich weissagen könnte und wüßte alle Geheimnisse
und alle Erkenntnis und hätte allen Glauben,
also daß ich Berge versetzte,
und hätte der Liebe nicht, so wäre ich nichts.
Und wenn ich alle meine Habe den Armen gäbe
und ließe meinen Leib brennen
und hätte der Liebe nicht,
so wäre mir's nichts nütze.
[ ... ]
Wir sehen jetzt durch einen Spiegel
in einem [dunklen Wort]1,
dann aber von Angesicht zu Angesichte.
Jetzt erkenne ich's stückweise;
dann aber [werde ich]2 erkennen,
[gleichwie ich erkannt bin]3.
Nun aber [bleibt]4 Glaube, Hoffnung, Liebe, diese drei;
aber die Liebe ist die [größte]5 unter ihnen.
Authorship:
- by Bible or other Sacred Texts , from Corinthians 13
Based on:
- a text in Latin by Bible or other Sacred Texts , from Corinthians, 13
See other settings of this text.
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- DUT Dutch (Nederlands) [singable] (Lau Kanen) , copyright © 2015, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- ENG English (Laura Prichard) , copyright © 2023, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- ITA Italian (Italiano) (Ferdinando Albeggiani) , copyright © 2008, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- SPA Spanish (Español) (Susana Martin Dudoignon) , copyright © 2022, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
1 Brahms: "dunkeln Worte"
2 Brahms: "werd' ich's"
3 Brahms: "gleich wie ich erkennet bin"
4 Brahms: "bleibet"
5 Brahms: "größeste"
Researcher for this page: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
1 Se anche parlassi le lingue degli uomini e degli angeli
ma non avessi l'Amore,
sarei come un bronzo risonante o come un cembalo tintinnante.
E se anche avessi il dono della profezia, e conoscessi tutti i misteri
e tutte le scienze, e se possedessi una fede tale
da muovere perfino le montagne,
ma non avessi l'Amore, non sarei niente.
E se donassi ai poveri tutte le mie sostanze
E lasciassi ardere il mio corpo,
ma senza l'Amore,
tutto questo a niente servirebbe.
[ ... ]
Vediamo tutti attraverso uno specchio
E in modo oscuro;
Ma poi vedremo faccia a faccia.
Ora conosco in modo frammentario,
ma poi conoscerò
allo stesso modo di come sono conosciuto.
Ora però restano tre cose: Fede, Speranza e Amore;
ma, tra loro, l'Amore è la cosa più grande.
Authorship:
- Translation from German (Deutsch) to Italian (Italiano) copyright © 2008 by Ferdinando Albeggiani, (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 Bible or other Sacred Texts , from Corinthians 13
Based on:
- a text in Latin by Bible or other Sacred Texts , from Corinthians, 13
Go to the single-text view
This text was added to the website: 2008-04-26
Line count: 38
Word count: 162