by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749 - 1832)
Translation © by Emily Ezust

Gesang des Leviathan
 (Sung text for setting by I. Walter)
 See original
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Our translations:  CAT DUT ENG FRE ITA LIT
Es war einmal ein König,
Der hatt' einen Skorpion,
Den liebt' er gar nicht wenig,
Als wie seinen eig'nen Sohn.
Da rief er seinen Schneider,
Der Schneider kam heran:
Und maß dem Junker Kleider
Und ein paar Höschen an.

In Sammet und in Seide
War er bald angethan,
Hatte Bänder auf dem Kleide,
Hatt' auch ein Kreuz daran,
Und war sogleich Minister,
Und hatt' einen großen Stern.
Da wurden seine Geschwister
Bei Hof' auch große Herrn.

Und Herrn und Frau'n am Hofe,
Die waren sehr geplagt,
Die Königin und die Zofe
Gestochen und zernagt,
Und durften doch nicht zwicken,
Und auch sich jucken nicht.
Wir drücken und ersticken
Doch gleich, wenn einer sticht.

Note: the text shown is only Mephistopheles' song; Brander has a verse in the middle that is omitted. Modern German would change the following spellings: "angethan" -> "angetan", etc.

Composition:

Text Authorship:

See other settings of this text.

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

  • CAT Catalan (Català) (Salvador Pila) , copyright © 2024, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
  • DUT Dutch (Nederlands) [singable] (Lau Kanen) , copyright © 2014, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
  • ENG English (Emily Ezust) , "There once was a king", copyright ©
  • FRE French (Français) (Angelika Frenzel) , "Chanson de la puce", copyright © 2003, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
  • ITA Italian (Italiano) (Amelia Maria Imbarrato) , "Canzone della Pulce", copyright © 2006, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
  • LIT Lithuanian (Lietuvių kalba) (Giedrius Prunskus) , copyright © 2023, (re)printed on this website with kind permission


Research team for this page: Emily Ezust [Administrator] , Johann Winkler

This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 24
Word count: 129

Language: English  after the German (Deutsch) 
There once was a king
who had a large flea
whom he loved not a bit less
than his very own son.
He called his tailor
and the tailor came directly;
"Here - make clothing for this knight,
and cut him trousers too!"

In silk and satin
was the flea now made up;
 he had ribbons on his clothing,
and he had also a cross there,
and had soon become a minister
and had a large star.
Then his siblings became
great lords and ladies of the court as well.

And the lords and ladies of the court
were greatly plagued;
the queen and her ladies-in-waiting
were pricked and bitten,
and they dared not flick
or scratch them away.
But we flick and crush them
as soon as one bites!

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:

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This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 24
Word count: 129