by Erich Kurt Mühsam (1878 - 1934)
Translation © by Gary Bachlund (b. 1947)

Der Faulpelz
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Our translations:  ENG
Otto, Otto, lerne!
Lerne dein Gedicht!
Tust du es nicht gerne,
Hilft's dir dennoch nicht.

In der Schule morgen
Weißt du dir es Dank. -
Otto sitzt in Sorgen
Auf der Gartenbank.

Otto sitzt in Kummer
Unterm Lindenbaum;
Und er sinkt in Schlummer,
Weiß es selber kaum.

Fanny und Lenore
Treiben mit ihm Spaß,
Kitzeln ihn am Ohre
Mit dem Zittergras.

Otto's Geist ist ferne,
Und er merkt es nicht; -
Otto, Otto, lerne!
Lerne dein Gedicht!

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 (Gary Bachlund) , "Lazy Bones", copyright © 2009, (re)printed on this website with kind permission


Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]

This text was added to the website: 2009-11-25
Line count: 20
Word count: 76

Lazy Bones
Language: English  after the German (Deutsch) 
Otto, Otto, learn!
Learn your poem!
If you're lazy
It won't help you.

For mornings in school
You should thankful be. -
Otto sits with his worries
On the garden bench.

Otto sits quite troubled
Under the linden tree;
And he sinks in slumber,
As few are better able.

Fanny and Lenore
Come with mischief,
Tickle him on his ears
With some trembling grass.

Otto's ghost is distant,
And he notes it not, --
Otto, Otto, learn!
Learn your poem!

Text Authorship:

Based on:

 
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]

This text was added to the website: 2009-11-25
Line count: 20
Word count: 78