Es steht auf seinem Katheder
Language: German (Deutsch)
Es steht auf seinem Katheder
Der Hofrath und docirt,
Der Meister, der mit Ruhme
Ebraica traktirt.
Rings lauschen die Studenten
Andächtig, wie er spricht;
Da stutzt er, und bedenklich
Umwölkt sich sein Gesicht.
Hier steht ein Aleph, ruft er,
Was will das Aleph hier?
Wo kommt es her? Vergebens
Den Kopf zerbrech' ich mir.
Mit neun und neunzig Gründen
Darauf beweist er scharf,
Daß hier bei Leib und Leben
Kein Aleph stehen darf.
Und wer den Text verballhornt,
Beschließt er indignirt,
Hätt' besser Schafe gehütet,
Als Habakuk ediert.
Er schlägt aufs Buch im Zorne,
Da springt das Aleph weg --
Was ihn so sehr verdrossen,
War nur ein Fliegendreck.
About the headline (FAQ)
Confirmed with Emanuel Geibels Gesammelte Werke in acht Bänden, Vierter Band, Spätherbstblätter - Heroldsrufe, Dritte Auflage, Stuttgart: Verlag der J.G. Cotta'schen Buchhandlung Nachfolger, 1893, pages 177-178.
Text Authorship:
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- ENG English (Sharon Krebs) , "The aleph", copyright © 2021, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Researcher for this page: Sharon Krebs
[Guest Editor] This text was added to the website: 2021-03-17
Line count: 24
Word count: 108
The aleph
Language: English after the German (Deutsch)
Beside his lectern stands
The professor and holds forth;
The master, who with renown,
Is expounding upon Hebraica.
Around him the students are
Listening raptly as he speaks;
Suddenly he stops short, and
His face darkens ominously.
There is an aleph printed here, he calls out,
What is that aleph doing here?
Where does it come from? In vain
I rack my brains.
Thereupon with nine-and-ninety reasons
He keenly demonstrates
That, by life and limb,
No aleph may be there.
And whoever thus corrupts the text,
He concludes indignantly,
Would have been better occupied tending sheep
Than editing Habakkuk.
He strikes the book in rage,
At which the aleph leaps away --
That which upset him so much
Was only a fly speck.
Note to stanza 1: The title "Hofrath" is an honourary one that used to be given to civil servants and teachers. It has no English translation.
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.
Contact: licenses@email.lieder.example.net
Based on:
This text was added to the website: 2021-03-17
Line count: 24
Word count: 122