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I. Was ist es mit dem Leben [Doch für 'ne]1 arge Not, Muß leiden und muß sterben Zuletzt den bittern Tod. Kam ich doch auf die Erden Ganz ohne Wunsch und Will', Ich weiß es nicht von wannen, Und kenn' nicht Zweck [noch]2 Ziel. Es tritt die bunten Auen Nur einmal unser Fuß, Für kurze Zeit nur tauschen Wir Händedruck und Gruß. Und was uns auch von Freuden Und Leiden zugewandt, Das mehret und das mindert Sich unter Menschenhand. Drum lasset uns in Freundschaft Einander recht verstehn Die kurze Strecke Weges, Die wir zusammen gehn. II. Wie vieler deiner Freuden Hab' ich umsonst geharrt, Wie wenig deiner Leiden Hast du mir, Welt, erspart! Die einen wie die andern Ich hätt' sie gern gemißt, Weil doch ein planlos' Wandern Das arme Leben ist. Und ruhen wir am Ziele Im tiefen Erdenschoß, Dann gleichen ihre Spiele, Wer darbte, wer genoß. Verderbet nicht den einen Der Freuden frohen Schein Und seht ihr andre weinen, Verschärfet nicht die Pein. Daß keine wehmutreiche Erinn'rung euch betrübt, Und man an euch die gleiche Geduld und Treue übt!
G. Lazarus sets stanzas 1-5
About the headline (FAQ)
View original text (without footnotes)Confirmed with Ludwig Anzengrubers Gesammelte Werke in zehn Bänden, Dritte durchgesehene Auflage, Fünfter Band (Inhalt: Kalendergeschichten – Gedichte und Aphorismen), Stuttgart: Verlag der J.G. Cotta'schen Buchhandlung Nachfolger, 1897, pages 257-259.
1 Lazarus: "Für eine"2 Lazarus: "und"
Text Authorship:
- by Ludwig Anzengruber (1839 - 1889), "Volksweise", written 1882, appears in Gedichte und Aphorismen, in Alte Weisen [author's text checked 2 times 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 Wilhelm Reinhard Berger (1861 - 1911), "Volksweise", op. 47 (Vier Lieder für 1 mittlere Singstimme mit Pianoforte) no. 2, published 1892 [ voice and piano ], Berlin, Simon [sung text not yet checked]
- by Wilhelm Handwerg (1842 - 1918), "Was ist es mit dem Leben", op. 47 (Vier Männerchöre) no. 2, published 1894 [ men's chorus a cappella ], Leipzig, Siegel [sung text not yet checked]
- by Richard Heuberger (1850 - 1914), "Volksweise", op. 38 (Drei Männerchöre) no. 3, published 1891 [ men's chorus ] [sung text not yet checked]
- by Robert Kahn (1865 - 1951), "Menschenlos", 1905 [ men's chorus ] [sung text not yet checked]
- by Robert Kahn (1865 - 1951), "Menschenlos", op. 75 (45 Lieder für dreistimmigen Chor a capella) no. 22 (1924) [ three-part chorus a cappella ] [sung text not yet checked]
- by Gustav Lazarus (1861 - 1920), "Volksweise", published 1903, stanzas 1-5 [ voice and piano ], in the collection Im Volkston II. Sammlung: moderne Preislieder komponiert für Die Woche, Druck und Verlag von August Scherl G.m.b.H. Berlin [sung text checked 1 time]
- by Alexander Winterberger (1834 - 1914), "Volksweise", op. 91 (Dreissig Lieder und Gesänge) no. 21, published 1885 [ medium voice and piano ], Leipzig, Schuberth & Co. [sung text not yet checked]
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- ENG English (Sharon Krebs) , copyright © 2021, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Research team for this page: Emily Ezust [Administrator] , Sharon Krebs [Guest Editor]
This text was added to the website: 2009-04-01
Line count: 42
Word count: 183
I. What a terrible misery It is with life, One must suffer and at the end Die a bitter death. After all, I came upon the earth Quite without wish or will, I know not whence And am [aware of neither purpose nor]1 goal. Our foot treads only once Upon these colourful meadows Only for a short time do we exchange Handshake and greeting. And whatever measure of joys And sorrows are allocated to us, It grows and diminishes Under the hand of mankind. Therefore let us in friendship Understand each other properly For the short stretch of the path That we walk together. II. For how many of your joys Did I wait in vain, How few of your sorrows, World, have you spared me! The one like the other I would gladly have missed, Because this sad life is only A wandering without plan. And when at the end we rest Deep in the lap of the earth, Then the games of those who suffered want, [And] those who savoured, shall be made equal. Do not spoil the happy radiance Of joys for one group of people, And if you see others weeping Do not make their agony worse. So that no melancholy memory Causes you sadness, And others extend the same Patience and faithfulness to you!
About the headline (FAQ)
View original text (without footnotes)Translations of title(s):
"Volksweise" = "Folk melody"
"Was ist es mit dem Leben" = "What is it in life"
Text Authorship:
- Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2021 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.
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Based on:
- a text in German (Deutsch) by Ludwig Anzengruber (1839 - 1889), "Volksweise", written 1882, appears in Gedichte und Aphorismen, in Alte Weisen
This text was added to the website: 2021-07-01
Line count: 42
Word count: 220