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Wenn der uralte,
Heilige Vater
Mit gelassener Hand
Aus rollenden Wolken
Segnende Blitze
Über die Erde sä't,
Küß' ich den letzten
Saum seines Kleides,
Kindliche Schauer
Treu in der Brust.
Denn mit Göttern
Soll sich nicht messen
Irgend ein Mensch.
Hebt er sich aufwärts,
Und berührt
Mit dem Scheitel die Sterne,
Nirgends haften dann
Die unsichern Sohlen,
Und mit ihm spielen
Wolken und Winde.
Steht er mit festen,
Markigen Knochen
Auf der wohlgegründeten,
Dauernden Erde;
Reicht er nicht auf,
Nur mit der Eiche
Oder der Rebe
Sich zu vergleichen.
Was unterscheidet
Götter von Menschen?
Daß viele Wellen
Vor jenen wandeln,
Ein ewiger Strom:
Uns hebt die Welle,
Verschlingt die Welle,
Und wir versinken.
...
Note: the text above is taken from stanzas 1-4 of the original text.
Composition:
- Set to music by Ferdinand von Hiller (1811 - 1885), "Gränzen der Menschheit", op. 63 no. 2, published 1857, stanzas 1-4 [ four-part men's chorus ], from Drei Gedichte von Göthe für vierstimmigen Männerchor, no. 2, Mainz, Schott
Text Authorship:
- by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749 - 1832), title 1: "Grenzen der Menschheit", title 2: "Gränzen der Menschheit", written 1780, first published 1789
See other settings of this text.
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- CAT Catalan (Català) (Salvador Pila) , copyright © 2016, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- CAT Catalan (Català) (Manuel Capdevila i Font) , copyright © 2025, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- DUT Dutch (Nederlands) [singable] (Lau Kanen) , "Grenzen der mensheid", copyright © 2007, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- ENG English (Emily Ezust) , "Limits of Mankind", copyright ©
- FIN Finnish (Suomi) (Erkki Pullinen) , "Ihmisyyden rajat"
- FRE French (Français) (Guy Laffaille) , "Limites de l'humanité", copyright © 2010, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- ITA Italian (Italiano) (Ferdinando Albeggiani) , "Limiti dell'umano", copyright © 2008, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- SPA Spanish (Español) (unknown or anonymous translator)
Research team for this page: Emily Ezust [Administrator] , Peter Rastl [Guest Editor] , Johann Winkler
This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 42
Word count: 131
Quan el venerable
Pare Etern
amb mà serena,
dels núvols oscil·lants
envia sobre la terra
llamps benefactors,
beso l'últim
plec del seu vestit
amb esgarrifances infantils
en el fons del meu pit.
Car amb els déus
no s'hi pot mesurar
qualsevol home.
Si s'eleva tant
que toca amb el seu cap
les estrelles,
enlloc toquen llavors
els seus peus insegurs,
i juguen amb ell
els núvols i els vents.
Si repenja els ferms
ossos medul·losos
sobre la sòlida
terra duradora,
no arriba
a comparar-se
ni amb el roure
ni amb la parra.
Què diferencia
els déus dels homes?
Que aquells envien
moltes onades
en corrent etern:
l'onada ens aixeca,
ens devora
i ens submergim.
...
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Note: the text above is taken from stanzas 1-4 of the original text.
Text Authorship:
- Translation from German (Deutsch) to Catalan (Català) copyright © 2025 by Manuel Capdevila i Font, (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 Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749 - 1832), title 1: "Grenzen der Menschheit", title 2: "Gränzen der Menschheit", written 1780, first published 1789
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This text was added to the website: 2025-05-27
Line count: 42
Word count: 135