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by Emanuel von Geibel (1815 - 1884)
Translation © by Sharon Krebs
Der arme Taugenichts
Language: German (Deutsch)
Ich kann wahrhaftig [doch nichts]1 dafür, Daß schief mir die Nas' im Gesichte steht, Und daß sich's leichter zur Schenkentür Als hinter dem Pflug auf dem Felde geht, Und daß mir besser des Müllers Kind Als unser dicker Herr Pfarrer gefällt - Ich aber predige in den Wind; Denn [nimmer begreift]2 mich die arge Welt. Der Müller, der ist euch ein grimmer Kumpan! Er sagt, ich wäre ein Taugenichts, Und die Leute im Dorfe glauben daran, Und auch sein rosiges Töchterlein spricht's. Und wenn sie mich sieht am Mühlbach stehn, Da rümpft sie das Näschen und zieht ein Gesicht, Und weiß doch so zierlich dabei sich zu drehn, Daß vor Ärger und Liebe das Herz mir bricht. Nun klag' ich mein Leid den Bäumen da drauß, Doch sie bleiben so stumm, [doch]3 sie bleiben so starr, Und Kuckuck und Gimpel pfeifen mich aus, Und die Käfer summen: du Narr! du Narr! Und wird das nicht anders, und kommt's nicht bald, So halt' ich's im Dorfe nimmermehr aus; Da zieh' ich davon durch den großen Wald Und streiche die Fiedel von Haus zu Haus.
View original text (without footnotes)
1 Marschner: "nichts"
2 Marschner: "nimmermehr hört"
3 Marschner: "und"
Research team for this page: Emily Ezust [Administrator] , Johann Winkler
1 Marschner: "nichts"
2 Marschner: "nimmermehr hört"
3 Marschner: "und"
Text Authorship:
- by Emanuel von Geibel (1815 - 1884), "Der arme Taugenichts", appears in Jugendgedichte, in 1. Erstes Buch, in Lübeck und Bonn [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 Franz Paul Lachner (1803 - 1890), "Der arme Taugenichts", op. 111 (12 Lieder für Sopran (oder Tenor)) no. 12, published 1861 [ soprano or tenor and piano ], Mainz, Schott [sung text not yet checked]
- by Heinrich August Marschner (1795 - 1861), "Der arme Taugenichts", op. 180 (Drei humoristische Gesänge) no. 1, published 1859 [ voice and piano ], Wien, Glöggl [sung text checked 1 time]
- by Hans Michael Schletterer (1824 - 1893), "Der arme Taugenichts", published 1856 [ low voice and piano ], from 4 Lieder von E. Geibel, no. 3, Erfurt, Körner [sung text not yet checked]
- by Carl Julius Schmidt (1851 - 1917), "Der arme Taugenichts", op. 9 (2 heitere Männerchöre) no. 2, published 1891 [ men's chorus a cappella ], Leipzig, Kistner [sung text not yet checked]
- by Hans August Friedrich Zincke genannt Sommer (1837 - 1922), "Der arme Taugenichts", op. 27 (1894), published 1894 [ voice and piano ], Leipzig, Steingräber [sung text not yet checked]
- by Moritz Weyermann (1832 - 1888), "Der arme Taugenichts", op. 25 (Zehn Gesänge für eine Singstimme mit Pianoforte), Heft 2 no. 1, published 1874 [ voice and piano ], Berlin, Challier & Co. [sung text not yet checked]
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- CAT Catalan (Català) (Salvador Pila) , "El pobre inútil", copyright © 2023, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- ENG English (Sharon Krebs) , "The poor good-for-naught", copyright © 2015, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- FRE French (Français) (Pierre Mathé) , "Le pauvre bon à rien", copyright © 2018, (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: 2011-04-05
Line count: 24
Word count: 182
The poor good‑for‑naught
Language: English after the German (Deutsch)
I truly cannot help it That my nose sits crookedly in my face, And that it is easier to walk to the door of the tavern Than to walk behind a plow in the field, And that the miller's child is more pleasing to me Than our fat pastor - But I preach to the winds; For this bad old world never understands me. The miller, now there's a wrathful old crony for you! He says that I am a good-for-naught, And the folk in the town believe him, And even his rosy little daughter says it. And when she sees me standing at the millstream, She wrinkles up her nose and makes a face, And yet knows how to turn so gracefully the while That my heart breaks for anger and love. Now I tell my troubles to the trees out there, But they remain so mute, but they remain so unyielding; The cuckoo and the bullfinch whistle and boo, And the beetles hum: you fool! you fool! And if that does not change soon, and I mean soon, Then I shall never be able to stand it in the village; Then through the great forest I shall depart And go playing my fiddle from house to house.
Text Authorship:
- Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2015 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.
Contact: licenses@email.lieder.example.net
Based on:
- a text in German (Deutsch) by Emanuel von Geibel (1815 - 1884), "Der arme Taugenichts", appears in Jugendgedichte, in 1. Erstes Buch, in Lübeck und Bonn
This text was added to the website: 2015-08-07
Line count: 24
Word count: 208