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Schon winkt der Wein im goldnen Pokale, Doch trinkt noch nicht, erst sing ich euch ein Lied! Das Lied vom Kummer soll auflachend in die Seele euch klingen. Wenn der Kummer naht, liegen wüst die Gärten der Seele, Welkt hin und stirbt die Freude, der Gesang. Dunkel ist das Leben, ist der Tod. Herr dieses Hauses! Dein Keller birgt die Fülle des goldenen Weins! Hier, diese Laute nenn' ich mein! Die Laute schlagen und die Gläser leeren, Das sind die Dinge, die zusammen passen. Ein voller Becher Weins zur rechten Zeit Ist mehr wert als alle Reiche dieser Erde! Dunkel is das Leben, ist der Tod. Das Firmament blaut ewig und die Erde Wird lange fest stehen und aufblühn im Lenz. Du aber, Mensch, wie lang lebst denn du? Nicht hundert Jahre darfst du dich ergötzen An all dem morschen Tande dieser Erde! Seht dort hinab! Im Mondschein auf den Gräbern hockt eine wildgespenstische Gestalt - Ein Aff ist's! Hört ihr, wie sein Heulen hinausgellt in den süßen Duft des Lebens! Jetzt nehm den Wein! Jetzt ist es Zeit, Genossen! Leert eure goldnen Becher zu Grund! Dunkel ist das Leben, ist der Tod!
The text shown is a variant of another text. [ View differences ]
It is based on
- a text in German (Deutsch) by Hans Bethge (1876 - 1946), "Das Trinklied vom Jammer der Erde", appears in Die chinesische Flöte [an adaptation]
- a text in French (Français) by Marie Jean Léon, Marquis d'Hervey-Saint-Denys (1823 - 1892), "La chanson du chagrin" [an adaptation]
- a text in Chinese (中文) by Li-Tai-Po (701 - 762), "悲歌行"
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
- by Gustav Mahler (1860 - 1911), "Das Trinklied vom Jammer der Erde", 1908, from Das Lied von der Erde, no. 1 [sung text checked 1 time]
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- CAT Catalan (Català) (Salvador Pila) , "Cançó de taverna de la misèria terrenal", copyright © 2009, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- ENG English (Emily Ezust) , "Drinking Song of the sorrow of the Earth", copyright ©
- FIN Finnish (Suomi) (Milla Valkeasuo) , "Juomalaulu maailman surkeudelle", copyright © 2008, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- FRE French (Français) (Guy Laffaille) , "La chanson à boire de la douleur de la terre", copyright © 2014, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- ITA Italian (Italiano) (Ferdinando Albeggiani) , "Canto conviviale sul dolore del mondo", copyright © 2006, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- POR Portuguese (Português) (Paulo Albuquerque de Noronha) , "A canção de bebidas da tristeza da Terra", copyright © 2019, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
This text was added to the website: 2004-01-16
Line count: 27
Word count: 192
The wine is already beckoning in the golden goblet, but do not drink yet - first, I will sing you a song! The Song of Sorrow shall resound laughingly in your soul. When sorrow draws near, the gardens of the soul lie desolate; joy and song wilt away and die. Dark is life, dark is death. Lord of this house! Your cellar holds an abundance of golden wine! Here, this lute I call my own! Strumming on the lute and emptying glasses - these are the things that go together. A full glass of wine at the proper moment is worth more than all the kingdoms of the world! Dark is life, [dark] is death. The heavens are forever blue and the earth Will stand firm for a long time and bloom in spring. But you, Man, how long will you live then? Not a hundred years are you allowed to enjoy in all the rotten triviality of this earth! Look down there! In the moonlight, on the graves crouches a wild, ghostly figure - It is an ape! Hear how its howls shrill out into the sweet fragrance of life! Now take the wine! Now is the time, comrades! Empty the golden goblet to the bottom! Dark is life, [dark] is death!
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 -- https://www.lieder.net/For any other purpose, please write to the e-mail address below to request permission and discuss possible fees.
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Based on:
- a text in German (Deutsch) by Not Applicable , "Das Trinklied vom Jammer der Erde" [an adaptation]
Based on:
- a text in German (Deutsch) by Hans Bethge (1876 - 1946), "Das Trinklied vom Jammer der Erde", appears in Die chinesische Flöte [an adaptation]
Based on:
- a text in French (Français) by Marie Jean Léon, Marquis d'Hervey-Saint-Denys (1823 - 1892), "La chanson du chagrin" [an adaptation]
Based on:
- a text in Chinese (中文) by Li-Tai-Po (701 - 762), "悲歌行"
This text was added to the website: 2004-01-16
Line count: 27
Word count: 210