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.
Ich armer Teufel, Herr Baron, Beneide Sie um Ihren Stand, Um Ihren Platz so nah dem Thron Und um manch schön' Stück Ackerland, Um Ihres Vaters festes Schloß, Um seine Wildbahn und Geschoß. Mich armen Teufel, Herr Baron, Beneiden Sie, so wie es scheint, Weil die Natur vom Knaben schon Mit mir es mütterlich gemeint. Ich ward, mit leichtem Mut und Kopf, Zwar arm, doch nicht ein armer Tropf. Nun dächt ich, lieber Herr Baron, Wir ließen's bleiben wie wir sind: Sie blieben des Herrn Vaters Sohn, Und ich blieb' meiner Mutter Kind. Wir leben ohne Neid un Haß, Begehren nicht des andern Titel, Sie keinen Platz auf dem Parnaß, Und keinen ich in dem Kapitel.
About the headline (FAQ)
Authorship:
- by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749 - 1832), no title, appears in Wilhelm Meisters Lehrjahre [author's text checked 1 time against a primary source]
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
- by Anton Grigoryevich Rubinstein (1829 - 1894), "Ich armer Teufel, Herr Baron", op. 91 no. 5, from Die Gedichte und das Requiem fur Mignon aus Goethe's "Wilhelm Meister's Lehrjahre", no. 5 [sung text not yet checked]
- by Hugo Wolf (1860 - 1903), "Spottlied aus Wilhelm Meister", published 1891 [ voice and piano ], from Goethe-Lieder, no. 4, Mainz, Schott [sung text checked 1 time]
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 (Knut W. Barde) , "Poor devil that I am, my Baron", copyright © 2006, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- FRE French (Français) (Guy Laffaille) , "Chanson satirique de Wilhelm Meister", copyright © 2014, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- GRE Greek (Ελληνικά) [singable] (Christakis Poumbouris) , copyright © 2018, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- ITA Italian (Italiano) (Ferdinando Albeggiani) , "Io povero diavolo, mio signor barone", copyright © 2009, (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: 20
Word count: 116
Moi, pauvre diable, Seigneur Baron, Je vous envie votre rang, Votre place si près du trône, Et vos nombreux beaux champs, Le puissant château de votre père, Sa meute et son fusil. De moi, pauvre diable, Seigneur Baron, Vous m'enviez, semble-t-il, Parce que la nature depuis que je suis un garçon M'a béni maternellement. Avec un courage et une tête légers je suis devenu Pauvre, mais pas un pauvre hère. Maintenant je pense, cher Seigneur Baron, Que nous devrions nous quitter comme nous sommes : Vous resteriez le fils de votre père Et moi, l'enfant de ma mère, Nous vivons sans envie ni haine, Et nous ne convoitons pas la situation de l'autre, Vous aucune place au Parnasse, Moi aucune place au chapitre.
Authorship:
- Translation from German (Deutsch) to French (Français) copyright © 2014 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: licenses@email.lieder.example.net
Based on:
- a text in German (Deutsch) by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749 - 1832), no title, appears in Wilhelm Meisters Lehrjahre
This text was added to the website: 2014-10-24
Line count: 20
Word count: 123