Le mieux | Être soldat, c’est dangereux

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by Joseph Karl Benedikt, Freiherr von Eichendorff (1788 - 1857)

Translation © by Stéphane Goldet, Pierre de Rosamel

Lieber alles

Language: German (Deutsch)

Our translations: CAT ENG FRE FRE ITA

Soldat sein ist gefährlich, 
studieren sehr beschwerlich,
das Dichten süß und zierlich,
der Dichter gar possierlich
in diesen wilden Zeiten.
Ich möcht' am liebsten reiten,
ein gutes Schwert zur Seiten,
die Laute in der Rechten,
Studentenherz zum Fechten.
Ein wildes Roß ist's Leben,
die Hufe Funken geben,
wer's ehrlich wagt, bezwingt es,
und wo es tritt, da klingt es!

Text Authorship:

by Joseph Karl Benedikt, Freiherr von Eichendorff (1788 - 1857), "Lieber alles", appears in Gedichte, in 3. Zeitlieder [author's text not yet checked 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 Ferdinand von Hiller (1811 - 1885), "Lieber alles", op. 28 (6 Gesänge für vierstimmigen Männerchor) no. 4, published 1844 [ four-part men's chorus ], Offenbach, André [sung text not yet checked]
by Hugo Wolf (1860 - 1903), "Lieber alles", 1886-8 [ voice and piano ], from Eichendorff-Lieder, no. 11 [sung text checked 1 time]

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

CAT Catalan (Català) (Salvador Pila) , "Millor tot", copyright © 2014, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
ENG English (Emily Ezust) , "I'd rather", copyright ©
FRE French (Français) (Guy Laffaille) , "Plutôt tout", copyright © 2010, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
FRE French (Français) (Stéphane Goldet) (Pierre de Rosamel) , "Le mieux", copyright © 2015, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
ITA Italian (Italiano) (Ferdinando Albeggiani) , "Meglio di tutto", 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: 13
Word count: 59

Le mieux

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

Être soldat, c’est dangereux,
étudier, c’est très astreignant,
versifier, c’est doux et gracieux : 
être poète, c’est vraiment comique
par ces temps de sauvagerie.
Ce qui serait de loin préférable, c’est chevaucher,
une bonne épée au flanc,
un luth en main,
et un coeur d’étudiant bretteur.
La vie, c’est une cavale indomptée
dont les sabots font jaillir des étincelles,
celui qui la risque loyalement la domine,
et là où il passe, ça fait du bruit !

Text Authorship:

Translation from German (Deutsch) to French (Français) copyright © 2015 by Stéphane Goldet and Pierre de Rosamel, (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 Joseph Karl Benedikt, Freiherr von Eichendorff (1788 - 1857), "Lieber alles", appears in Gedichte, in 3. Zeitlieder
- Go to the text page.

This text was added to the website: 2015-09-30
Line count: 13
Word count: 74