by Johann Karl Unger (1771 - 1836)
Translation © by Malcolm Wren

Die Geselligkeit
 (Sung text for setting by F. Schubert)
 See original
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Our translations:  CAT DUT ENG FRE
Wer Lebenslust fühlet,
Der bleibt nicht allein;
Allein seyn ist öde - 
Wer kann sich da freun!
Im traulichen Kreise,
Beim herzlichen Kuß,
Beysammen zu leben
Ist Seelengenuß.

Das lehrt uns der Tauber -
Für Liebe und Lust
Erhebt sich dem Täubchen
Die seidene Brust;
Es girret für Wonne,
Es lehret im Kuß,
Beysammen zu leben
Sey Herzensgenuß.
 
Geselligkeit fesselt
Die ganze Natur,
In Lüften, im Wasser,
Auf lachender Flur.
Er selber geboth es,
Der alles erschuf,
Beysammen zu leben
Ist Menschenberuf.

Dem folget ihr Guten,
Und singet nicht mehr,
Die Einsamkeit wäre
Nicht öde, nicht leer.
Allein seyn erzeuget
Nur Sehnsucht und Schmerz;
Beysammen zu leben
Befriedigt das Herz.

In Österreichisches Taschenbuch Unger's poem has the subtitle Gegenlied. An Fräulein von S***. In Der Neue Teutsche Merkur the poem is printed with a different line break: two consecutive lines are merged into one.

Note: As indicated by the subtitle Gegenlied this poem is a response to the preceding poem in the book, titled Die Einsamkeit with the subtitle Lied, which was declaimed by a certain Fräulein von Sölewangen to whom Unger dedicated his "counter-poem" (and phrased the first line of the last stanza accordingly). Schubert received Unger's poem much later in manuscript form.

Note: in Schubert's song, in the repetition of stanza 2, line 8, "Sey" becomes "Ist".

Composition:

    Set to music by Franz Peter Schubert (1797 - 1828), "Die Geselligkeit", D 609 (1818), published 1872 [ satb quartet with piano ], J. P. Gotthard, VN 322, Wien

Text Authorship:

See other settings of this text.

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

  • CAT Catalan (Català) (Salvador Pila) , "La companyonia", copyright © 2019, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
  • DUT Dutch (Nederlands) [singable] (Lau Kanen) , copyright © 2008, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
  • ENG English (Malcolm Wren) , copyright © 2012, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
  • FRE French (Français) (Guy Laffaille) , copyright © 2012, (re)printed on this website with kind permission


Research team for this page: Emily Ezust [Administrator] , Virginia Knight , Lau Kanen [Guest Editor] , Peter Rastl [Guest Editor]

This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 32
Word count: 114

Language: English  after the German (Deutsch) 
Anyone who feels pleasure in life 
does not remain alone.
Being on your own is unpleasant, 
who could enjoy it?
Within a trusted circle, 
with heartfelt kisses,
Living together is delight 
for the soul.

This is what the dove teaches us; 
for love and pleasure
It raises its silk breast 
for its partner,
The dove coos 
and teaches by kissing
That living together leads 
to delight for the heart.

Society binds 
the whole of nature,
In the air, in water 
and on the happy earth.
He who created everything 
himself decreed it,
Living together is 
a human calling.

Follow him, good people, 
and no longer sing
That loneliness is 
not awful, not empty.
Being alone only breeds 
longing and pain;
Living together brings peace 
to the heart.

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2012 by Malcolm Wren, (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:

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This text was added to the website: 2012-06-18
Line count: 32
Word count: 127