Chanson copte | Laissez les érudits se chamailler et se disputer

Attention! Some of this material is not in the public domain.

It is illegal to copy and distribute our copyright-protected material without permission. It is also illegal to reprint copyright texts or translations without the name of the author or translator.

To inquire about permissions and rates, contact Emily Ezust at licenses@email.lieder.example.net

If you wish to reprint translations, please make sure you include the names of the translators in your email. They are below each translation.

Note: You must use the copyright symbol © when you reprint copyright-protected material.

by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749 - 1832)

Translation © by Pierre Mathé

Kophtisches Lied

(Sung text for setting by M. Bruch)

See base text

Language: German (Deutsch)

Our translations: CAT ENG FRE ITA

Laßet Gelehrte sich zanken und streiten,
Streng und bedächtig die Lehrer auch sein!
Alle die Weisesten aller der Zeiten 
Lächeln und winken und stimmen mit ein:
Töricht, auf Beßrung der Toren zu harren!
Kinder der Klugheit, o habet die Narren
Eben zum Narren auch, wie sich's gehört!

 ... 

Und auf den Höhen der indischen Lüfte
Und in den Tiefen ägyptischer Grüfte
Hab ich das heilige Wort nur gehört:
Töricht, auf Beßrung der Toren zu harren!
Kinder der Klugheit, o habet die Narren
Eben zum Narren auch, wie sich's gehört!

Note: the text above is taken from stanzas 1,3 of the original text.

Composition:

Max Bruch

Text Authorship:

by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749 - 1832), "Cophtisches Lied", written 1799

See other settings of this text.

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

CAT Catalan (Català) (Salvador Pila) , copyright © 2021, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
ENG English (Emily Ezust) , "Let the learned men squabble and bicker", copyright ©
FRE French (Français) (Pierre Mathé) , "Chanson copte", copyright © 2012, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
ITA Italian (Italiano) (Ferdinando Albeggiani) , "Canzone copta I", copyright © 2012, (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: 19
Word count: 128

Chanson copte

(Sung text translation for setting by M. Bruch)

See original

Language: French (Français) after the German (Deutsch)

Laissez les érudits se chamailler et se disputer,
Et aussi les maîtres être rigoureux et prudents !
Tous les plus sages de tous les temps
Sourient et acquiescent et sont d'accord :
Il est idiot d'attendre la guérison des fous !
Enfants de la sagesse, ô tenez les fous
Pour des fous, comme il s'entend.

 ... 

Et sur les hauteurs des airs indiens
Et dans les profondeurs des caveaux égyptiens
Je n'ai qu'entendu que ces saintes paroles :
Il est idiot d'attendre la guérison des fous !
Enfants de la sagesse, ô tenez les fous
Pour des fous, comme il s'entend.

Note: the text above is taken from stanzas 1,3 of the original text.

Text Authorship:

Translation from German (Deutsch) to French (Français) copyright © 2012 by Pierre Mathé, (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), "Cophtisches Lied", written 1799
- Go to the text page.

Go to the general single-text view

This text was added to the website: 2012-02-03
Line count: 19
Word count: 134