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from Volkslieder (Folksongs)
Translation © by Gabriel Rosenstock

Die Gedanken sind frei
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Our translations:  ENG IRI
Die Gedanken sind frei,
wer kann sie erraten,
sie fliegen vorbei
wie nächtliche Schatten.
Kein Mensch kann sie wissen,
kein Jäger erschießen
mit Pulver und Blei:
Die Gedanken sind frei!

Ich denke was ich will
und was mich beglücket,
doch alles in der Still',
und wie es sich schicket.
Mein Wunsch, mein Begehren
kann niemand verwehren,
es bleibet dabei:
Die Gedanken sind frei!

Und sperrt man mich ein
im finsteren Kerker,
das alles sind rein
vergebliche Werke.
Denn meine Gedanken
zerreißen die Schranken
und Mauern entzwei,
die Gedanken sind frei!

Drum will ich auf immer
den Sorgen entsagen
und will mich auch nimmer
mit Grillen mehr plagen.
Man kann ja im Herzen
stets lachen und scherzen
und denken dabei:
Die Gedanken sind frei!

Text Authorship:

  • from Volkslieder (Folksongs) , "Die Gedanken sind frei" [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 Anonymous/Unidentified Artist , "Die Gedanken sind frei" [
     text verified 1 time
    ]

Set in a modified version by Gustav Mahler.

    • Go to the text. [ view differences ] ENG ITA FRE SPA

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

  • ENG English (Walter A. Aue) , title 1: "Thoughts are Free", copyright © 2010, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
  • IRI Irish (Gaelic) [singable] (Gabriel Rosenstock) , title 1: "Bíonn smaointe gan chuing", copyright © 2016, (re)printed on this website with kind permission


Researcher for this page: Walter A. Aue

This text was added to the website: 2010-03-23
Line count: 32
Word count: 123

Bíonn smaointe gan chuing
Language: Irish (Gaelic)  after the German (Deutsch) 
Bíonn smaointe gan chuing, 
níl léamh orthu ag daoine,
Ar eite a bhíonn, 
mar scáileanna oíche,
Éalaíonn siad uainn choíche, 
ó philéar an fhiagaí.
Is mar sin a bhíonn, 
bíonn smaointe gan chuing.
 
Liom féin é mo mheon 
is é chun mo shásaimh
Istigh ionam beo 
de réir mar a fhásann.
Beidh mianta mo chroíse 
go hiomlán neamhchloíte
Is mar sin a bhíonn, 
bíonn smaointe gan chuing.
 
I bpríosún dá mbeinn, 
i gcarcair ghruama,
Ní bheinnse i bpéin, 
ba am curtha amú é:
Do bhrisfeadh mo smaointe 
na barraí ina bpíosaí
Is mar sin a bhíonn, 
bíonn smaointe gan chuing!
 
Céad slán leis an mbuaireamh, 
céad slán leis go deo
Is slán leis an duairceas, 
is mian liom bheith beo
Sé teanga an chroí 
an gáire, an spraoi
Nach in é mar a bhíonn, 
bíonn smaointe gan chuing. 

Text Authorship:

  • Singable translation from German (Deutsch) to Irish (Gaelic) copyright © 2016 by Gabriel Rosenstock.

    This author's work falls under the Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) Creative Commons license.


    Gabriel Rosenstock.  Contact: grosenstock04 (AT) gmail (DOT) com

    If you wish to commission a new translation, please contact: licenses@email.lieder.example.net

Based on:

  • a text in German (Deutsch) from Volkslieder (Folksongs) , "Die Gedanken sind frei"
    • Go to the text page.

 

This text was added to the website: 2016-07-29
Line count: 32
Word count: 138

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