Text & Translation
An die Freude
German source:
Johann Peter Uz
Die, mit Blumen um ihr Haupt,
Dich auf güldner Leier preisen;
Ruhig, wenn die Bosheit schnaubt:
Höre mich vor deinem Throne,
Kind der Weisheit, deren Hand
Immer selbst in deine Krone
Ihre schönsten Rosen band.
Göttin, o so sei, ich flehe,
Deinen Dichter immer hold,
Das er schimmernd Glück verschmähe,
Reich in sich auch ohne Gold,
Das sein Leben zwar verborgen,
Aber ohne Sklaverei,
Ohne Flecken, ohne Sorgen,
Weisen Freunden teuer sei.
To Joy
English translation ©
Anon.
who, with garlands around their heads
praise you with gilded lyres;
calm when evil roars:
hear me from your throne,
child of wisdom, whose hand
radiantly encircles
your crown!
Goddess, for so you are, I implore
that your faithful poet
might disdain glittering fortune,
rich in himself, even without gold;
that his life, modest
but free,
without blemish, without care,
might in wise friends wealthy be!
An die Freude
German source:
Johann Peter Uz
To Joy
English source:
Anon.
Freude, Königin der Weisen,
Joy, Queen of the wise,
Die, mit Blumen um ihr Haupt,
who, with garlands around their heads
Dich auf güldner Leier preisen;
praise you with gilded lyres;
Ruhig, wenn die Bosheit schnaubt:
calm when evil roars:
Höre mich vor deinem Throne,
hear me from your throne,
Kind der Weisheit, deren Hand
child of wisdom, whose hand
Immer selbst in deine Krone
radiantly encircles
Ihre schönsten Rosen band.
your crown!
Göttin, o so sei, ich flehe,
Goddess, for so you are, I implore
Deinen Dichter immer hold,
that your faithful poet
Das er schimmernd Glück verschmähe,
might disdain glittering fortune,
Reich in sich auch ohne Gold,
rich in himself, even without gold;
Das sein Leben zwar verborgen,
that his life, modest
Aber ohne Sklaverei,
but free,
Ohne Flecken, ohne Sorgen,
without blemish, without care,
Weisen Freunden teuer sei.
might in wise friends wealthy be!
Composer
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (27 January 1756 – 5 December 1791), baptised as Johannes Chrysostomus Wolfgangus Theophilus Mozart,[b] was a prolific and influential composer of the classical era. Read more here.
Poet
Johann Peter Uz
Johann Peter Uz, German poet. He was born at Ansbach. He studied law in 1739-43 at the university of Halle, where he associated with the poets Johann Gleim and Johann Nikolaus Götz, and in conjunction with the latter translated the odes of Anacreon…