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by Rudolph Baumbach (1840 - 1905)
Translation © by Sharon Krebs
Eine Frage quält mich bass
Language: German (Deutsch)
Our translations: ENG
Eine Frage quält mich bass, Macht mir Kopfzerbrechen: Bleib ich heut' beim Tintenfass, Oder geh' ich zechen ? Hei, da muss ich doch einmal Das Orakel fragen. Meiner Nestelknöpfe Zahl Wird mir Kunde sagen. Soll ich gehen oder nicht? Knopf spricht: "Geh'n!" Was des Schicksals Stimme spricht, Muss gescheh'n. Noch ein Andres quält mich recht, Macht mir viele Sorgen: Zahl' ich heut' im blauen Hecht, Oder soll ich borgen? Hei, da muss ich doch einmal Das Orakel fragen. Meiner Nestelknöpfe Zahl Wird mir Kunde sagen. Zahl' ich, oder zahl' ich nicht? Knopf sagt: "Nein!" Was des Schicksals Stimme spricht, Das muss sein. Eine dritte Frage macht Sorgen mir und Wehen: Soll ich in der Mondscheinnacht Heut' zum Liebchen gehen? Hei, da muss ich doch einmal Das Orakel fragen. Meiner Nestelknöpfe Zahl Wird mir Kunde sagen. Thu' ich's, oder lass' ich's heut'? "Lass!" spricht Knopf. -- Wer nicht Trotz dem Schicksal beut, Ist ein Tropf.
About the headline (FAQ)
Confirmed with Spielmannslieder von Rudolf Baumbach, Leipzig, Verlag von A. G. Liebeskind, 1883, pages 14-15.
Text Authorship:
- by Rudolph Baumbach (1840 - 1905), "Orakel", 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 Gottfried Angerer (1851 - 1909), "Orakel", published 1889 [ ttbb chorus ], from Drei Lieder für Männerchor, no. 2, Zürich: Fries [sung text not yet checked]
- by Adolf Arensen (b. 1855), "Orakel", op. 6, Heft 2 no. 4, published 1887 [ baritone and piano ], from Spielmannslieder von R. Baumbach, no. 4, Berlin: Ries & Erler [sung text not yet checked]
- by Carl Attenhofer (1837 - 1914), "Orakel", op. 52 (Drei fröhliche Gesänge für vierstimmigen Männerchor) no. 1, published 1885 [ four-part men's chorus a cappella ], Zürich, Hug [sung text not yet checked]
- by Carl Attenhofer (1837 - 1914), "Orakel", op. 47 (Vier fröhliche Lieder für Bass-Stimme mit Pianoforte) no. 1, published 1882 [ bass and piano ], Zürich, Hug [sung text not yet checked]
- by Valentin Eduard Becker (1814 - 1890), "Orakel", op. 151 no. 2, published 1890 [ bass or baritone and piano ], from Vier humoristische Gesänge für Bass (oder Bariton) mit Pianofortebegleitung, no. 2, Berlin, Fr. Luckhardt [sung text not yet checked]
- by Carl Bohm (1844 - 1920), "Orakel", op. 318 (Vier Lieder für 1 Singstimme mit Pianoforte) no. 3, published 1884 [ voice and piano ], Berlin, Simrock [sung text not yet checked]
- by Max Fiedler (1859 - 1939), "Orakel", op. 7b (Zwei Lieder für Männerchor) no. 2, published 1889 [ ttbb chorus ], Leipzig: Breitkopf & Härtel [sung text not yet checked]
- by Paul Frommer (1868 - 1914), "Orakel", op. 39, published 1899 [ low voice and piano ], Leipzig: J. Schuberth & Co. [sung text not yet checked]
- by Adolf Gunkel (1866 - 1901), "Orakel", op. 29 (Zwei Lieder) no. 2, published 1898 [ voice and piano ], Berlin: Gnevkow [sung text not yet checked]
- by Joseph Herz (b. 1869), "Das Orakel", published 1900 [ voice and piano ], Königsberg: Jakubowski [sung text not yet checked]
- by Alfred Honndorf (1870 - 1919), "Orakel", op. 20 (Sechs Männerchöre) no. 6, published 1896 [ ttbb chorus ], Leipzig: Vormeyer [sung text not yet checked]
- by Adolf Kirchl (1858 - 1936), "Orakel", op. 28 (Zwei heitere Gesänge für vier Männerstimmen, Chor oder Soloquartett) no. 2, published 1893 [ ttbb chorus ], Leipzig: Leuckhart [sung text not yet checked]
- by Wilhelm Köhler (c1852 - c1924), "Orakel", op. 3, published 1889 [ ttbb chorus ], Berlin: Simon [sung text not yet checked]
- by Erik Meyer-Helmund (1861 - 1932), "Das Orakel", op. 21 (Drei Lieder für 1 Singstimme mit Pianofortebegleitung ) no. 1, published 1886 [ voice and piano ], Berlin, Ries & Erler [sung text not yet checked]
- by Gustav E. Schreck (1849 - 1918), "Orakel", op. 5 (Vier fröhliche Lieder für Männerchor) no. 3, published 1886 [ ttbb chorus ], Leipzig: Kahnt [sung text not yet checked]
- by Rudolf Schreiber , "Das Orakel", op. 116, published 1888 [ ttbb chorus and piano ], Wien: Rebay & Robitschek [sung text not yet checked]
- by Paul Umlauft (1853 - 1934), "Orakel", op. 20 no. 5, published 1891 [ men's chorus ], from Sechs Gesänge für Männerchor, no. 5, Leipzig, Kistner [sung text not yet checked]
- by Max von Weinzierl (1841 - 1898), "Das Orakel", op. 82, published 1889 [ ttbb chorus ], Leipzig: Siegel [sung text not yet checked]
- by Alfred Wernicke (1856 - 1931), "Orakel", op. 3 (Zwei Männerchöre) no. 2, published 1888 [ ttbb chorus ], Mannheim: Hasdenteufel [sung text not yet checked]
- by Gustav Tyson Wolff (1840 - 1907), "Eine Frage quält mich bass", op. 21 (Vier humoristische Männerquartette) no. 4, published 1886 [ ttbb chorus ], Leipzig: W. Dietrich [sung text not yet checked]
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- ENG English (Sharon Krebs) , copyright © 2020, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
This text was added to the website: 2010-09-22
Line count: 36
Word count: 152
One question plagues me sorely
Language: English after the German (Deutsch)
One question plagues me sorely, Puzzles me: Do I remain at the inkwell today Or do I go carousing? Ha, for that I must just Ask the oracle. The number of my ribbon-knots Shall tell me what to do. Shall I go or not? Knot says: "Go!" What the voice of fate decrees Must happen. Yet another thing torments me quite [And] causes me much worry: Should I pay today in the Blue Pike, Or should I borrow? Ha, for that I must just Ask the oracle. The number of my ribbon-knots Shall tell me what to do. Do I pay or do I not pay? Knot says: "No!" What the voice of fate decrees That must be. Yet a third question Causes me anxiety and pain: Today, in the moonlit night, Shall I go see my darling? Ha, for that I must Ask the oracle. The number of my ribbon-knots Shall tell me what to do. Do I go, or do I let it be today? "Let it be!" says the knot. -- He who does not defy fate Is an idiot.
About the headline (FAQ)
Translations of title(s):
"Orakel" = "Oracle"
"Das Orakel" = "The oracle"
Translator's note: The word "Nestelknöpfe" likely refers to the knots of ribbon adorning the garments of a Spielmann from the middle ages. The Spielmann in this poem used these knots of ribbon to count off in the manner of a girl plucking petals off a daisy to the words "he loves me, he loves me not." (The assistance of Bertram Kottmann in elucidating the meaning of this word is gratefully acknowledged.)
Text Authorship:
- Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2020 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 Rudolph Baumbach (1840 - 1905), "Orakel", appears in Spielmannslieder
This text was added to the website: 2020-02-22
Line count: 36
Word count: 182