by
Julius Wolff (1834 - 1910)
Wider die Pfaffen
Language: German (Deutsch)
Our translations: CAT ENG
Die Pfaffen tragen hoch das Haupt,
Es walten dunkle Zeiten,
Und wer nicht glaubt und aberglaubt,
Dem drohen sie mit Scheiten.
Frech bläht sich auf das schwarze Pack,
Als hätten sie gleich Rieten
Den Kaiser und das Reich im Sack
Und könnten uns was bieten.
Sie wissen sich im Glaubensstreit
Vor Hochmuth nicht zu lassen
Und lehren uns statt Duldsamkeit
Verfolgen nur und hassen.
O Kaiser Rudolf, starker Held,
Siegreich in vielen Schlachten,
Den Pfaffen räume nicht das Feld,
Die nach der Herrschaft trachten.
Stund' nur in dieser Zeiten Lauf
Mit seines Wortes Schneide
Als unser Meister wieder auf
Der von der Vogelweide!
Doch weil er längst zu Würzburg ruht
In seines Grabes Ehren,
So wollen wir mit eignem Muth
Uns vor den Pfaffen wehren.
Text Authorship:
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- CAT Catalan (Català) (Salvador Pila) , "Contra els capellans", copyright © 2024, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- ENG English (Sharon Krebs) , "Against the priests", copyright © 2014, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [
Administrator]
This text was added to the website: 2010-02-25
Line count: 24
Word count: 125
Against the priests
Language: English after the German (Deutsch)
The priests carry their heads high,
These are dark times,
And whoever does not believe and is not superstitious,
They threaten with burning.
The black swarm is audaciously bloated
As if, like reeds,
They had the emperor and the realm in the bag,
And as if they had something to offer us.
In their doctrinal battles
They cannot leave each other alone in their pride,
And instead of tolerance they teach us
Only to persecute and to hate.
Oh Kaiser Rudolf, strong hero,
Victorious in many battles,
Do not retreat before the priests
Who seek to seize the ruling [of the realm].
If in these times,
With the cutting power of his words,
He of the Vogelweide!1 would only arise again
As our master.
But since he is long resting at Würzburg
In an honourable grave,
Let us resolve with our own might
To defend ourselves against the priests.
View original text (without footnotes)
1 Walther von der Vogelweide.
Text Authorship:
- Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2014 by Sharon Krebs, (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:
This text was added to the website: 2014-06-05
Line count: 24
Word count: 150