by Eduard Mörike (1804 - 1875)
Translation © by Emily Ezust

Zur Warnung
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Our translations:  CAT ENG FRE FRE ITA
Einmal nach einer lustigen Nacht
War ich am Morgen seltsam aufgewacht:
Durst, Wasserscheu, ungleich Geblüt;
Dabei gerührt und weichlich im Gemüt,
Beinah poetisch, ja, ich bat die Muse um ein Lied.
Sie, mit verstelltem Pathos, spottet' mein,
Gab mir den schnöden Bafel ein:
    "Es schlägt eine Nachtigall
    Am Wasserfall;
    Und ein Vogel ebenfalls,
    Der schreibt sich Wendehals,
    Johann Jakob Wendehals;
    Der tut tanzen
    Bei den Pflanzen
    Ob bemeldten Wasserfalls --"
So ging es fort; mir wurde immer bänger.
Jetzt sprang ich auf: zum Wein! Der war denn auch mein Retter.
-- Merkt's euch, ihr tränenreichen Sänger,
Im Katzenjammer ruft man keine Götter!

Available sung texts: (what is this?)

•   W. Keller 

W. Keller sets lines 8-15

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) , "Com advertiment", copyright © 2019, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
  • ENG English (Emily Ezust) , "As a warning", copyright ©
  • FRE French (Français) (Guy Laffaille) , "En avertissement", copyright © 2011, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
  • FRE French (Français) (Stéphane Goldet) (Pierre de Rosamel) , "En guise d'avertissement", copyright © 2012, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
  • ITA Italian (Italiano) (Ferdinando Albeggiani) , "Per avvertimento", copyright © 2013, (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: 19
Word count: 101

As a warning
Language: English  after the German (Deutsch) 
Once after a merry night
I was oddly awakened one morning:
thirst (but not for water), pounding blood,
feeling disturbed and sentimental;
almost poetically, yes, I begged my Muse for a song.
Pretending pathos, she mocked me,
giving me this contemptible piece of trash:
  "A nightingale is singing
  by the waterfall;
  and another bird as well,
  who signs his name Wendehals,
  Johann Jakob Wendehals;
  who dances
  by the plants
  of the aforesaid waterfall."
and so it continues, and I grew ever more anxious.
Now I sprang up: wine! That would rescue me! 
Mark you well, tearful bards,
when you have a hangover, call upon no gods!

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © by Emily Ezust

    Emily Ezust permits her translations to be reproduced without prior permission for printed (not online) programs to free-admission concerts only, provided the following credit is given:

    Translation copyright © by Emily Ezust,
    from the LiederNet Archive

    For any other purpose, please write to the e-mail address below to request permission and discuss possible fees.


Based on:

 

This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 19
Word count: 106