The library | The most beautiful of libraries

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by Rudolph Baumbach (1840 - 1905)

Translation © by Sharon Krebs

Die Bibliothek

Language: German (Deutsch)

Our translations: ENG

Die schönste aller Bücherei'n
Liegt tief im goldnen Sterne,
Scheint weder Mond noch Sonne drein, 
Nur Wachslicht und Laterne.
Der Bücher Einband ist von Holz,
Sechs Reifen hat ein jeder, 
Der Bibliothekare stolz
Trägt einen Schurz von Leder.

Es hält der Weisheit Quintessenz
Das kleinste Buch umschlossen.
Der dieses Lied gesungen, kennt's,
Hat's mit Verstand genossen.
Er trinkt sich wahrheitsdurstig satt
An seinem goldnen Borne,
Und wenn er's ausgelesen hat,
Begänn' er's gern von vorne.

Confirmed with Rudolf Baumbach, Spielmannslieder, Leipzig: Verlag von A. G. Liebeskind, 1883, page 52.

Text Authorship:

by Rudolph Baumbach (1840 - 1905), "Die Bibliothek", appears in Spielmannslieder [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 Arthur Claassen (1859 - 1920), "Die Bibliothek", op. 10, Heft 2 no. 3, published 1883 [ ttbb chorus ], from Zech- und Minnelieder für vierstimmigen Männergesang, no. 3, Magdeburg: Heinrichshofen Verlag [sung text not yet checked]

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

ENG English (Sharon Krebs) , "The library", copyright © 2022, (re)printed on this website with kind permission

Researcher for this page: Sharon Krebs [Guest Editor]

This text was added to the website: 2020-07-02
Line count: 16
Word count: 75

The library

Language: English after the German (Deutsch)

The most beautiful of libraries
Lies in the depths of the Golden Star,
Neither moon nor sun shines in it,
Only candlelight and lantern.
The binding of the books is wooden,
Every one of them has six hoops,
The proud librarian 
Wears a leather apron.

The smallest book encompasses
The quintessence of wisdom.
He who sang this song, knows it
And has relished it with understanding.
Thirsty for truth, he drinks until he is satiated
From its golden well-spring,
And when he has finished reading it,
He would gladly start again at the beginning.

Text Authorship:

Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2022 by Sharon Krebs, (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 German (Deutsch) by Rudolph Baumbach (1840 - 1905), "Die Bibliothek", appears in Spielmannslieder
- Go to the text page.

This text was added to the website: 2022-05-07
Line count: 16
Word count: 94