An dem Ende seiner Tage
Language: German (Deutsch)
An dem Ende seiner Tage
Steht der Kater Hiddigeigei,
Und er denkt mit leiser Klage,
Wie sein Dasein bald vorbei sei.
Möchte gerne aus dem Schatze
Reicher Weisheit Lehren geben,
Dran in Zukunft manche Katze
Haltpunkt fänd' im schwanken Leben.
Ach der Lebenspfad ist holpernd,
-- Liegen dort so manche Steine,
Dran wir Alte, schmählich stolpernd,
Oftmals uns verrengt die Beine.
Ach, das Leben birgt viel Hader
Und schlägt viel unnütze Wunden,
Mancher tapf're schwarze Kater
Hat umsonst den Tod gefunden.
Doch wozu der alte Kummer?
Und ich hör' die Jungen lachen,
Und sie treiben's noch viel dummer,
Schaden erst wird klug sie machen.
Fruchtlos stets ist die Geschichte;
Mögen seh'n sie, wie sie's treiben!
-- Hiddigeigeis Lehrgedichte
Werden ungesungen bleiben.
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Confirmed with Josef Viktor von Scheffel, Der Trompeter von Säkkingen. Ein Sang vom Oberrhein, zweihundertfünfundvierzigste Auflage, Stuttgart: Verlag von Adolf Bonz & Comp., 1899, pages 230-231.
Text Authorship:
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- ENG English (Sharon Krebs) (Harald Krebs) , "Song of the Tomcat "Hiddigeigei"", copyright © 2006, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Researcher for this page: Sharon Krebs
[Guest Editor] This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 24
Word count: 125
Song of the Tomcat "Hiddigeigei"
Language: English after the German (Deutsch)
At the end of his days
Stands the cat Hiddigeigei.
And he thinks, with faint lamenting,
How his existence shall soon be over.
He would gladly, out of his treasure
Of rich wisdom, supply teachings
That would lend the future of many a cat
An anchor in this unstable life.
Oh, the path of life is rough.
-- Many stones lie there,
On which we old ones, wretchedly tripping,
Have often sprained our legs.
Oh, life contains much strife
And often wounds us unnecessarily.
Many a courageous black cat
Has needlessly found his death.
But of what use is the age-old sorrow?
And I hear the young ones laughing.
And they act even more stupidly.
Only misfortune will make them wise.
History is always fruitless.
Let them manage as best they can!
-- Hiddigeigei's instructive songs
Shall remain unsung.
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Text Authorship:
- Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2006 by Sharon Krebs and Harald 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:
This text was added to the website: 2006-11-15
Line count: 24
Word count: 140
