What is a man? | What is a man? A stomach, two arms

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by Erich Kurt Mühsam (1878 - 1934)

Translation © by Gary Bachlund (b. 1947)

Was ist der Mensch?

Language: German (Deutsch)

Our translations: ENG

Was ist der Mensch? Ein Magen, zwei Arme,
ein kleines Hirn und ein großer Mund,
und eine Seele - daß Gott erbarme! -

Was muß der Mensch? Muß schlafen und denken,
muß essen und feilschen und Karren lenken,
muß wuchern mit seinem halben Pfund.
Muß beten und lieben und fluchen und hassen,
muß hoffen und muß sein Glück verpassen -
und leiden wie ein geschundner Hund.

Text Authorship:

by Erich Kurt Mühsam (1878 - 1934), appears in Wüste - Krater - Wolken. Die Gedichte., Berlin: Paul Cassirer, first published 1914 [author's text not yet checked 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 Gary Bachlund (b. 1947), "Was ist der Mensch?", 2009 [medium voice or high voice and piano] [ sung text checked 1 time]

Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):

ENG English (Gary Bachlund) , "What is a man?", copyright © 2009, (re)printed on this website with kind permission

Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]

This text was added to the website: 2009-11-24
Line count: 9
Word count: 63

What is a man?

Language: English after the German (Deutsch)

What is a man? A stomach, two arms,
A little brain and a big mouth,
And a soul -- God help him!

What must a man do? Sleep and think,
Eat and haggle and pull a cart,
Profiteer with his half a pound.
Pray and love and curse and hate,
Hope and take a chance in life --
And suffer like a caged dog.

Text Authorship:

by Gary Bachlund (b. 1947), "What is a man?", copyright © 2009, (re)printed on this website with kind permission [author's text checked 1 time against a primary source]

Based on:

a text in German (Deutsch) by Erich Kurt Mühsam (1878 - 1934), appears in Wüste - Krater - Wolken. Die Gedichte., Berlin: Paul Cassirer, first published 1914
- Go to the text page.

Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]

This text was added to the website: 2009-11-24
Line count: 9
Word count: 62