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Natur gab Stieren Hörner, Sie gab den Rossen Hufe, Den Hasen schnelle Füße, Den Löwen weite Rachen, Den Fischen gab sie Flossen, Und Fittige den Vögeln; Den Männern, den Männern aber Weisheit. Männern! nicht den Weibern? Was gab sie diesen? Schönheit, Schönheit. Statt aller unsrer Spieße, Statt aller unsrer Schilde; Denn wider Weibesschönheit Besteht nicht Stahl, nicht Feuer.
Authorship
Based on- a text in Greek (Ελληνικά) by Anacreon (c582BCE - c485BCE), Ode 2 [text unavailable]
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive)
- by (Franz) Joseph Haydn (1732 - 1809), "An die Frauen", Hob. XXVb no. 4 (1796) [ SATB chorus, bass, contralto ], from Aus des Ramlers Lyrischer Blumenlese , no. 8 [sung text checked 1 time]
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- ENG English (Emily Ezust) , "To women", copyright © 2009
- FRE French (Français) (Guy Laffaille) , "Aux femmes", copyright © 2013, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
This text was added to the website: 2009-10-01
Line count: 14
Word count: 58
La nature a donné des cornes aux taureaux, Elle a donné aux chevaux des sabots, Aux lièvres des pieds rapides, Aux lions de larges mâchoires, Aux poissons elle a donné des nageaoires, Et des plumes aux oiseaux ; Aux hommes, aux hommes, mais la sagesse. Aux hommes ! pas aux femmes ? Que leur a-t-elle donné ? La beauté, la beauté. Au lieu de tous nos épieux, Au lieu de tous nos boucliers : Car contre la beauté des femmes Ni l'acier ni le feu ne peuvent triompher.
Authorship
- Translation from German (Deutsch) to French (Français) copyright © 2013 by Guy Laffaille, (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:
- a text in German (Deutsch) by Gottfried August Bürger (1747 - 1794)
- a text in Greek (Ελληνικά) by Anacreon (c582BCE - c485BCE), Ode 2 [text unavailable]
This text was added to the website: 2013-10-14
Line count: 14
Word count: 88