by Eduard Mörike (1804 - 1875)
Translation © by Emily Ezust

Abschied
 (Sung text for setting by H. Wolf)
 See original
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Our translations:  CAT ENG FRE FRE ITA SPA
Unangeklopft ein Herr tritt Abends bei mir ein:
»Ich habe die Ehr', Ihr Rezensent zu sein!«
Sofort nimmt er das Licht in die Hand,
besieht lang meinen Schatten an der Wand,
rückt nah und fern: »Nun, lieber junger Mann,
sehn Sie doch gefälligst mal 
Ihre Nas' so von der Seite an!
Sie geben zu, daß das ein Auswuchs is'.«
Das? Alle Wetter - gewiß!
Ei Hasen! ich dachte nicht, all' mein Lebtage nicht,
daß ich so eine Weltsnase führt' im Gesicht!

Der Mann sprach noch Verschied'nes hin und her,
ich weiß, auf meine Ehre, nicht mehr;
meinte vielleicht, ich sollt' ihm beichten.
Zuletzt stand er auf; ich tat ihm leuchten.
Wie wir nun an der Treppe sind,
da geb' ich ihm, ganz frohgesinnt,
einen kleinen Tritt, 
nur so von hinten aufs Gesäße mit -
alle Hagel! ward das ein Gerumpel,
ein Gepurzel, ein Gehumpel!
Dergleichen hab' ich nie gesehn, 
all' mein Lebtage nicht gesehn
einen Menschen so rasch die Trepp' hinabgehn!

Composition:

Text Authorship:

See other settings of this text.

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

  • CAT Catalan (Català) (Salvador Pila) , "Comiat", copyright © 2019, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
  • ENG English (Emily Ezust) , "Farewell", copyright ©
  • FRE French (Français) (Guy Laffaille) , "Adieu", copyright © 2011, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
  • FRE French (Français) (Stéphane Goldet) (Pierre de Rosamel) , "Adieu", copyright © 2012, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
  • ITA Italian (Italiano) (Ferdinando Albeggiani) , "Congedo", copyright © 2011, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
  • SPA Spanish (Español) (Gerardo Garciacano Hinojosa) (Simone von Büren) , "Despedida", copyright © 2010, (re)printed on this website with kind permission


Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]

This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 24
Word count: 160

Language: English  after the German (Deutsch) 
Without knocking, a gentleman comes visiting me one evening:
"I have the honour to be your critic!" he says.
Immediately he takes the light in his hand,
gazes long at my shadow on the wall,
stepping close and then stepping back: "Now, my good young man,
kindly see how your nose 
looks from the side!
You must admit that it is a protuberance."
This? Good gracious - so it is!
My word! I never imagined - my whole life long -
that such a world-sized nose I bore on my face!

The man said various other things about this and that,
and on my honour, I remember no more;
perhaps he thought I should give him a confession.
Finally he stood up and I lit his way out.
As we stood at the top of the stairs,
I gave him, cheerfully,
a small kick
from behind, on the backside,
and by hail! what a jolting,
tumbling, and hobbling!
The equal have I never seen, 
my whole life long,
of a man going so quickly down the stairs!

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © by Emily Ezust

    Emily Ezust permits her translations to be reproduced without prior permission for printed (not online) programs to free-admission concerts only, provided the following credit is given:

    Translation copyright © by Emily Ezust,
    from the LiederNet Archive

    For any other purpose, please write to the e-mail address below to request permission and discuss possible fees.


Based on:

Go to the general single-text view


This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 24
Word count: 174