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Mein junger Sohn fragt mich: Soll ich Mathematik lernen? Wozu, möchte ich [sagen]1. Daß zwei Stück Brot mehr ist als eines, Das wirst du auch so merken. Mein junger Sohn fragt mich: Soll ich [Französisch]2 lernen? Wozu, möchte ich [sagen]1. Dieses Reich geht unter. Und Reibe du nur mit [der Hand]3 den Bauch und stöhne Und man wird dich schon verstehen. Mein junger Sohn fragt mich: Soll ich Geschichte lernen? Wozu, möchte ich [sagen]1. Lerne [du deinen Kopf in die Erde stecken]4, [Da]5 wirst du vielleicht übrigbleiben. Ja, lerne Mathematik, sage ich, Lerne [Französisch]2, [lerne]6 Geschichte!
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View original text (without footnotes)Confirmed with Die Gedichte von Bertolt Brecht in einem Band, Frankfurt am Main: Suhrkamp Verlag, 1981 (Neunte Auflage 1997), page 818
1 Eisler: "fragen"2 Eisler: "Englisch"
3 Eisler: "der Flachen Hand"
4 Eisler: "nur deinen Kopf in die Erde zu stecken"
5 Eisler: "Dann"
6 Eisler: "ja, lerne"
Text Authorship:
- by Bertolt Brecht (1898 - 1956), "Der Sohn II", appears in Steffinische Sammlung, in 1940, no. 6 [author's text checked 2 times 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 Hanns Eisler (1898 - 1962), "Der Sohn II", 1942, from Hollywooder Liederbuch, no. 2 [sung text checked 2 times]
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- ENG English (Sharon Krebs) , "The son II", copyright © 2010, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Research team for this page: Emily Ezust [Administrator] , Sharon Krebs [Guest Editor]
This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 12
Word count: 96
My young son asks me: Should I study mathematics? What for? I'd like to [say.]1 That two pieces of bread are more than one, That you will notice anyway. My young son asks me: Should I study [French]2? What for? I'd like to [say.]1 This state will fall, and If you just rub your stomach with [your hand]3 and groan, People will understand you. My young son asks me: Should I study history? What for? I'd like to [say.]1 [You learn]4 to stick your head into the sand Then you might possibly be spared. Yes! Study mathematics, I say, Study [French]2, [study]5 history!
1 Eisler: "ask"
2 Eisler: "English"
3 Eisler: "the flat of your hand"
4 Eisler: "Just learn"
5 Eisler: "yes, learn"
Text Authorship:
- Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2010 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 Bertolt Brecht (1898 - 1956), "Der Sohn II", appears in Steffinische Sammlung, in 1940, no. 6
This text was added to the website: 2010-10-11
Line count: 12
Word count: 103