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Laßet Gelehrte sich zanken und streiten, Streng und bedächtig die Lehrer auch sein! Alle die Weisesten aller der Zeiten Lächeln und winken und stimmen mit ein: Töricht, auf Beßrung der Toren zu harren! Kinder der Klugheit, o habet die Narren Eben zum Narren auch, wie sich's gehört! Merlin der Alte, im leuchtenden Grabe, Wo ich als Jüngling gesprochen ihn habe, Hat mich mit ähnlicher Antwort belehrt: Töricht, auf Beßrung der Toren zu harren! Kinder der Klugheit, o habet die Narren Eben zum Narren auch, wie sich's gehört! Und auf den Höhen der indischen Lüfte Und in den Tiefen ägyptischer Grüfte Hab ich das heilige Wort nur gehört: Töricht, auf Beßrung der Toren zu harren! Kinder der Klugheit, o habet die Narren Eben zum Narren auch, wie sich's gehört!
M. Bruch sets stanzas 1, 3
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Authorship
- by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749 - 1832), "Cophtisches Lied", written 1799 [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 Max Bruch (1838 - 1920), "Kophtisches Lied", op. 59 (Fünf Lieder) no. 2 (1892), published 1892, stanzas 1,3 [baritone and piano], Brüssel, Schott [ sung text verified 1 time]
- by Thomas Christian David (1925 - 2006), "Kophtisches Lied", 1986. [ sung text not verified ]
- by Harald Genzmer (1909 - 2007), "Kophtisches Lied", 1940-87, from Acht Lieder nach verschiedenen Dichtern [ sung text not verified ]
- by Leo Grill (1846 - 1919?), "Cophtisches Lied", op. 6 no. 2, published 1874 [baritone or low tenor and piano], from Gesellige Lieder von W. Göthe, für Bariton oder tiefen Tenor mit Begleitung des Pianoforte, no. 2. [ sung text not verified ]
- by Wilhelm Killmayer (1927 - 2017), "Cophtisches Lied", 1962 [SMezATTB chorus a cappella], from Lieder, Oden und Szenen, no. 9. [ sung text not verified ]
- by Hugo Wolf (1860 - 1903), "Cophtisches Lied I", published 1891 [voice and piano], from Goethe-Lieder, no. 14, Mainz, Schott [ sung text verified 1 time]
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- ENG English (Emily Ezust) , "Let the learned men squabble and bicker", copyright ©
- FRE French (Français) (Pierre Mathé) , "Chanson copte", copyright © 2012, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- ITA Italian (Italiano) (Ferdinando Albeggiani) , "Canzone copta I", copyright © 2012, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
Text added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Last modified: 2014-06-16 10:01:30
Line count: 19
Word count: 128
Lasciate che i dotti discutano litigando, che siano riflessivi e severi gli insegnanti! Ma i più saggi in ogni tempo si mostrano sempre allegri e concilianti: Sperare che lo stolto migliori è follia! Chi nasce intelligente, si prenda gioco di loro, proprio come conviene che sia! Il vecchio Merlino, nella sua radiosa tomba, dove da giovane ebbi con lui un colloquio, mi ha illuminato con una uguale risposta: Sperare che lo stolto migliori è follia! Chi nasce intelligente, si prenda gioco di loro, proprio come conviene che sia! E sulle vette sotto i cieli dell'india nelle profonde tombe dell'Egitto ho sempre ascoltato questo sacro motto: Sperare che lo stolto migliori è follia! Chi nasce intelligente, si prenda gioco di loro, proprio come conviene che sia!
Authorship
- Translation from German (Deutsch) to Italian (Italiano) copyright © 2012 by Ferdinando Albeggiani, (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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- a text in German (Deutsch) by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749 - 1832), "Cophtisches Lied", written 1799
Text added to the website: 2012-02-05 00:00:00
Last modified: 2014-06-16 10:04:46
Line count: 19
Word count: 125