by
Franz von Kobell (1803 - 1882)
Bi z'fried'n davontweg'n
Language: Bavarian (Boarisch)
Mit vier Roß' wirf i' nit leicht um,
I' ho' nit oa's,
Mir geht nit leicht a' Kalbi krumm,
I' ho' ja koa's.
Mir fallt koa' Haus sei' Lebta z'amm,
Es g'hört koa's mei',
[Ho' koani Schaf, d'rum schlagt mir aa'
Der Blitz nit drei'.]1
Mein Troad, dem thuat koa' Hagl nix,
I' ho' koa' Feld,
Verlier' nit leicht Dukatnfüchs.
I' ho' koa' Geld.
Nix hon i', und do' leb' i halt
Mit Gottes Gnad',
Und 's Lebn oft oan' nit besser g'fallt,
Der ebbes hat.
Viel Habn, viel Sorg, [es is scho']2 gwiß,
Wie leicht ho's i'
Grad daß mei' nix oft z'weni' is,
Dees irgert mi'.
Und dengerscht, 's hat mir Gott ja gebn
A' fröhli's Bluat,
Und fragst, wie steht's mit Leib und Lebn,
'Sag' allzeit »guat!«
Available sung texts: (what is this?)
• I. Lachner View original text (without footnotes)
Confirmed with Gedichte in oberbayerischer Mundart von Franz von Kobell, 5. Aufl., München, 1855.
1 Lachner: "Wann d'Leut' mi'n Vieh an Unglück hamm,/ mir geht koas ei."
2 Lachner: "jo des is"
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):
- ENG English (Johann Winkler) , "Therefore I am content", copyright © 2025, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Researcher for this page: Johann Winkler
This text was added to the website: 2025-10-02
Line count: 24
Word count: 132
Therefore I am content
Language: English after the Bavarian (Boarisch)
Pulled by four horses, my cart does not overturn easily,
'cause I have not even one.
A calf of mine will not easily go lame,
'cause I have none.
My house will never fall apart,
'cause I call none my own;
sheep I do not own, therefore
no lightning will strike them.
My grain will not be damaged by hail,
'cause I have no field,
and I'll not easily lose a briefcase
'cause I've no money.
I have nothing, and so I live
by God's grace,
and many people like their life less
that own something.
Much wealth much worry, that's for sure;
I got it easy.
Just that my nothing is often not enough,
that annoys me.
Anyway, God has given me
a happy nature,
and should you ask, what about life and limb,
I'll always say: Quite well!
Confirmed with Gedichte in oberbayerischer Mundart von Franz von Kobell, 5. Aufl., München, 1855.
Text Authorship:
- Translation from Bavarian (Boarisch) to English copyright © 2025 by Johann Winkler, (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 Bavarian (Boarisch) by Franz von Kobell (1803 - 1882), "Bi z'fried'n davontweg'n"
This text was added to the website: 2025-10-02
Line count: 24
Word count: 140
