Some of the following material is not in the public domain.
It is illegal to copy and distribute our copyright-protected material without permission. Printing copyright texts or translations without the name of the author or translator is also illegal.
You must use the copyright symbol © when you reprint copyright-protected material.
For more information, contact us at:
Before writing, please read the instructions below the translations (under Authorship). Always include the names of the translators in your email if you wish to reprint something!
Ich armer Teufel, Herr Baron, Beneide Sie um Ihren Stand, Um Ihren Platz so nah dem Thron Und um manch schön' Stück Ackerland, Um Ihres Vaters festes Schloß, Um seine Wildbahn und Geschoß. Mich armen Teufel, Herr Baron, Beneiden Sie, so wie es scheint, Weil die Natur vom Knaben schon Mit mir es mütterlich gemeint. Ich ward, mit leichtem Mut und Kopf, Zwar arm, doch nicht ein armer Tropf. Nun dächt ich, lieber Herr Baron, Wir ließen's bleiben wie wir sind: Sie blieben des Herrn Vaters Sohn, Und ich blieb' meiner Mutter Kind. Wir leben ohne Neid un Haß, Begehren nicht des andern Titel, Sie keinen Platz auf dem Parnaß, Und keinen ich in dem Kapitel.
About the headline (FAQ)
Authorship
- by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749 - 1832), no title, appears in Wilhelm Meisters Lehrjahre [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 Anton Grigoryevich Rubinstein (1829 - 1894), "Ich armer Teufel, Herr Baron", op. 91 no. 5, from Die Gedichte und das Requiem fur Mignon aus Goethe's "Wilhelm Meister's Lehrjahre", no. 5. [ sung text not verified ]
- by Hugo Wolf (1860 - 1903), "Spottlied aus Wilhelm Meister", published 1891 [voice and piano], from Goethe-Lieder, no. 4, Mainz, Schott [ sung text verified 1 time]
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- ENG English (Knut W. Barde) , "Poor devil that I am, my Baron", copyright © 2006, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- FRE French (Français) (Guy Laffaille) , "Chanson satirique de Wilhelm Meister", copyright © 2014, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- GRE Greek (Ελληνικά) [singable] (Christakis Poumbouris) , copyright © 2018, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- ITA Italian (Italiano) (Ferdinando Albeggiani) , "Io povero diavolo, mio signor barone", copyright © 2009, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
Text added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Last modified: 2014-06-16 10:01:30
Line count: 20
Word count: 116
Poor devil that I am, my Baron, I envy you your rank, Your place so close to the throne And your several good fields, Your father's strong castle, His hunting grounds and rifle. Of me, poor devil, so it seems, My Baron you are envious, Because nature has blessed me like a mother Since I was a lad. With my heart and head unburdened I became poor, but not a case of pity. Methinks, dear Baron, Sir, We should leave us as we are: You would remain your father's son, And I my mother's child. We live without envy and hate, And do not covet the other's station, You'll forgo a place on Mount Parnassus, And I won't ask for a place on [your] council.
Authorship
- Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2006 by Knut W. Barde, (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:
- a text in German (Deutsch) by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749 - 1832), no title, appears in Wilhelm Meisters Lehrjahre
Text added to the website: 2006-04-25 00:00:00
Last modified: 2014-06-16 10:02:18
Line count: 20
Word count: 125