Ach, was soll der Mensch verlangen?
Language: German (Deutsch)
Our translations: CAT ENG FRE ITA
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
H. Schletterer sets stanza 3
About the headline (FAQ)
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):
- 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 [ vocal trio for soprano, tenor, and bass ] [sung text not yet checked]
- by Hans Michael Schletterer (1824 - 1893), "Spruch", op. 30 (Praktischer Unterricht im Chorgesange für Volksschulen, höhere Lehranstalten und Gesangvereine) no. 23, published 1867, stanza 3, in Praktischer Unterricht im Chorgesange, in Schul-Lieder-Anhang, Nordsingen: C. H. Beck'schen Buchhandlung [sung text not yet checked]
- by Hans August Friedrich Zincke genannt Sommer (1837 - 1922), "Beherzigung I", 1920 [ voice and orchestra ] [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
Riflessione
Language: Italian (Italiano) after the German (Deutsch)
A che cosa deve l'uomo aspirare?
E' forse meglio tranquillo rimanere?
Al proprio stato saldamente aggrappati?
Oppure muoversi, sempre indaffarati?
Conviene costruirsi una bella casetta?
O restare a dormire sotto una tenda?
Bisogna fidarsi dei terreni rocciosi?
Ma anche in questi ci sono i terremoti.
La stessa cosa a tutti non si addice;
Decida ognuno in che modo agire,
valuti ognuno dove abitare gli piace,
e chi sta in piedi badi a non cadere!
Text 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.
Contact: licenses@email.lieder.example.net
Based on:
This text was added to the website: 2012-02-05
Line count: 12
Word count: 74