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Ach, was soll der Mensch verlangen? Ist es besser, ruhig bleiben? Klammernd fest sich anzuhangen? Ist es besser, sich zu treiben? Soll er sich ein Häuschen bauen? Soll er unter Zelten leben? Soll er auf die Felsen trauen? Selbst die festen Felsen beben. Eines schickt sich nicht für alle; Sehe jeder, wie er's treibe, Sehe jeder, wo er bleibe, Und wer steht, daß er nicht falle!
J. Kelz sets stanza 3 only
About the headline (FAQ)
Authorship:
- by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749 - 1832), "Beherzigung" [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 Peter Escher (1915 - 2008), "Beherzigung", op. 153 no. 2 (1993?) [ voice and piano ], from Lieder nach Gedichten verschiedenen Schriftsteller, no. 2 [sung text not yet checked]
- by Johann Friedrich Kelz (1786 - 1862), "Kanon", published c1818, stanza 3 only [ vocal trio for soprano, tenor, and bass ] [sung text not yet checked]
- by Hugo Wolf (1860 - 1903), "Beherzigung", published 1891 [ voice and piano ], from Goethe-Lieder, no. 18, Mainz, Schott [sung text checked 1 time]
- by Winfried (Petrus Ignatius) Zillig (1905 - 1963), "Beherzigung", 1941, orchestrated 1960 [ female voice and piano or orchestra ], from Zehn Lieder nach Gedichten von Goethe, no. 8 [sung text not yet checked]
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- CAT Catalan (Català) (Salvador Pila) , copyright © 2021, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- ENG English (Emily Ezust) , "Reflection", copyright ©
- FRE French (Français) (Pierre Mathé) , "Résolution", copyright © 2011, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- ITA Italian (Italiano) (Ferdinando Albeggiani) , "Riflessione", copyright © 2012, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 12
Word count: 66
Ai, què pot desitjar l’home? És millor restar tranquil? Fermament aferrat per acordar-se? És millor bellugar-se? S’ha de construir una casa? Ha de viure sota una tenda? Ha de confiar en les roques? Fins i tot les roques més sòlides tremolen. La mateixa cosa no és bona per a tothom; cadascú ha de veure com actua, cadascú ha de veure on roman, i el que resta dret, ha de mirar de no caure.
About the headline (FAQ)
Translations of title(s):
"Beherzigung" = "Ponderació"
"Kanon" = "Cànon"
Authorship:
- Translation from German (Deutsch) to Catalan (Català) copyright © 2021 by Salvador Pila, (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 Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749 - 1832), "Beherzigung"
This text was added to the website: 2021-05-26
Line count: 12
Word count: 73