by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749 - 1832)
Translation © by Lau Kanen

Solang man nüchtern ist
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Our translations:  CAT DUT ENG FRE ITA
[Solang]1 man nüchtern ist, 
Gefällt das Schlechte;
Wie man getrunken hat, 
Weiß man das Rechte;
Nur ist das Übermaß 
Auch gleich zuhanden:
Hafis, o lehre mich, 
Wie du's verstanden!

Denn meine Meinung ist 
Nicht übertrieben:
Wenn man nicht trinken kann, 
Soll man nicht lieben;
Doch sollt ihr Trinker euch
Nicht besser dünken:
Wenn man nicht lieben kann, 
Soll man nicht trinken.

Available sung texts: (what is this?)

•   H. Wolf 

About the headline (FAQ)

View original text (without footnotes)
1 Wolf : "So lang"

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) , copyright © 2021, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
  • DUT Dutch (Nederlands) [singable] (Lau Kanen) , copyright © 2017, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
  • ENG English (Malcolm Wren) , "For as long as you are sober", copyright © 2006, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
  • FRE French (Français) (Guy Laffaille) , copyright © 2011, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
  • ITA Italian (Italiano) (Ferdinando Albeggiani) , "Finché si è sobri", 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: 16
Word count: 61

Zolang men nuchter is
Language: Dutch (Nederlands)  after the German (Deutsch) 
Zolang men nuchter is,
Lokt sterk het kwade;
Als men gedronken heeft,
Laat 't goed zich raden;
Maar groot is dan de kans
Om uit te spatten:
Hafis, o leer mij toch
Hoe jij 't kon vatten!
 
Want naar mijn mening kun
Je flink uitglijen:
Als men niet drinken kan,
Moet men niet vrijen;
Maar jullie, drinkers, acht
Jezelf geen binken:
Als men niet vrijen kan,
Moet men niet drinken.

About the headline (FAQ)

Translation of title "Trinklied aus dem Divan" = "Drinklied uit 'West-Oostelijke Divan'"

Text Authorship:

  • Singable translation from German (Deutsch) to Dutch (Nederlands) copyright © 2017 by Lau Kanen, (re)printed on this website with kind permission. To reprint and distribute this author's work for concert programs, CD booklets, etc., please ask the copyright-holder(s) directly.

    Lau Kanen.  Contact: boudewijnkanen (AT) gmail (DOT) com


    If the copyright-holder(s) are unreachable for three business days, please write to:


Based on:

 

This text was added to the website: 2017-09-09
Line count: 16
Word count: 70