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Es fürchte die Götter Das Menschengeschlecht! Sie halten die Herrschaft In ewigen Händen, Und können sie brauchen, Wie's ihnen gefällt. Der fürchte sie doppelt Den je sie erheben! Auf Klippen und Wolken Sind Stühle bereitet Um goldene Tische. Erhebet ein Zwist sich, So stürzen die Gäste, Geschmäht und geschändet In nächtliche Tiefen, Und harren vergebens, Im Finstern gebunden, Gerechten Gerichtes. Sie aber, sie bleiben In ewigen Festen An goldenen Tischen. Sie schreiten vom Berge Zu Bergen hinüber: Aus Schlünden der Tiefe Dampft ihnen der Atem Erstickter Titanen, Gleich Opfergerüchen, Ein leichtes Gewölke. Es wenden die Herrscher Ihr segnendes Auge Von ganzen Geschlechtern Und meiden, im Enkel Die ehmals geliebten, Still redenden Züge Des Ahnherrn zu sehn. So sangen die Parzen; Es horcht der Verbannte, In nächtlichen Höhlen Der Alte die Lieder, Denkt Kinder und Enkel Und schüttelt das Haupt.
About the headline (FAQ)
Text Authorship:
- by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749 - 1832), no title, appears in Iphigenie auf Tauris, Act 4, lines 1726-1766 [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 Johannes Brahms (1833 - 1897), "Gesang der Parzen", op. 89 (1882), published 1883 [ chorus, orchestra ], Berlin, Simrock [sung text checked 1 time]
- by Johann Friedrich Reichardt (1752 - 1814), "Lied der Parzen", published 1809 [ vocal quartet ] [sung text checked 1 time]
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- CAT Catalan (Català) (Salvador Pila) , copyright © 2022, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- DUT Dutch (Nederlands) [singable] (Lau Kanen) , "Gezang der Parcen", copyright © 2015, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- ENG English (Emily Ezust) , no title, copyright ©
- FRE French (Français) (Pierre Mathé) , "Le chant des Parques", copyright © 2008, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- ITA Italian (Italiano) (Ferdinando Albeggiani) , "Tema gli dei", copyright © 2008, (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: 41
Word count: 139
Abbia degli dei timore L'intera stirpe umana! Tengono il potere in mani eterne, e possono usarlo, come a loro piace. E sia doppio il timore Di colui che gli dei innalzano! Verso picchi e nubi Dove sono pronti seggi E mense dorate. Se sorge un contrasto Precipitano gli ospiti, vilipesi e oltraggiati verso notturni abissi, dove invano attenderanno, incatenati nelle tenebre, un'equo giudizio. Quelli invece, rimangono In eterni festini Davanti a mense dorate. E da montagna A montagna procedono: da fonde voragini verso di loro sale il fiato di soffocati Titani, simile a odore di vittime in nube leggera. Distolgono loro, i potenti, l'occhio benevolo da intere stirpi e evitano di riconoscere, nel discendente, le fattezze dell'antenato che un tempo furono a loro gradite. Così cantavano le Parche! Ascolta il reietto, in buie caverne, ormai vecchio, quei canti. Pensa ai figli e ai nipoti E scuote il capo.
Text Authorship:
- Translation from German (Deutsch) to Italian (Italiano) copyright © 2008 by Ferdinando Albeggiani, (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 Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749 - 1832), no title, appears in Iphigenie auf Tauris, Act 4, lines 1726-1766
This text was added to the website: 2008-07-24
Line count: 41
Word count: 148