Erschaffen und Beleben
German source:
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
Den Gott zum Menschen machte;
Doch bracht er aus der Mutter Schoß
Noch vieles Ungeschlachte.
Die Elohim zur Nas hinein
Den besten Geist ihm bliesen;
Nun schien er schon was mehr zu sein,
Denn er fing an zu niesen.
Doch mit Gebein und Glied und Kopf
Blieb er ein halber Klumpen,
Bis endlich Noah für den Tropf
Das Wahre fand, den Humpen.
Der Klumpe fühlt sogleich den Schwung,
Sobald er sich benetzet,
So wie der Teig durch Säuerung
Sich in Bewegung setzet.
So, Hafis, mag dein holder Sang,
Dein heiliges Exempel,
Uns führen, bei der Gläser Klang,
Zu unsres Schöpfers Tempel.
Hans Adam was a lump of clay
English translation ©
Richard Stokes
That God made into man;
But he produced from Mother Earth
Much else that was uncouth.
Jehovah, via his nose,
Blew the best spirit in;
Now he seemed to make progress,
He began to sneeze.
Despite his head and bones and limbs,
He still remained half a lump,
Till Noah for the clot at last
Found the very thing—a tankard.
That brought life into the lump
As soon as he partook,
Just as dough, through leavening,
Is quickened into life.
So, Hafiz, may your sweet song
And your sacred example
Conduct us, as the glasses clink,
To our Creator’s temple.
Erschaffen und Beleben
German source:
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
Hans Adam was a lump of clay
English source:
Richard Stokes
Hans Adam war ein Erdenkloß
Hans Adam was a lump of clay
Den Gott zum Menschen machte;
That God made into man;
Doch bracht er aus der Mutter Schoß
But he produced from Mother Earth
Noch vieles Ungeschlachte.
Much else that was uncouth.
Die Elohim zur Nas hinein
Jehovah, via his nose,
Den besten Geist ihm bliesen;
Blew the best spirit in;
Nun schien er schon was mehr zu sein,
Now he seemed to make progress,
Denn er fing an zu niesen.
He began to sneeze.
Doch mit Gebein und Glied und Kopf
Despite his head and bones and limbs,
Blieb er ein halber Klumpen,
He still remained half a lump,
Bis endlich Noah für den Tropf
Till Noah for the clot at last
Das Wahre fand, den Humpen.
Found the very thing—a tankard.
Der Klumpe fühlt sogleich den Schwung,
That brought life into the lump
Sobald er sich benetzet,
As soon as he partook,
So wie der Teig durch Säuerung
Just as dough, through leavening,
Sich in Bewegung setzet.
Is quickened into life.
So, Hafis, mag dein holder Sang,
So, Hafiz, may your sweet song
Dein heiliges Exempel,
And your sacred example
Uns führen, bei der Gläser Klang,
Conduct us, as the glasses clink,
Zu unsres Schöpfers Tempel.
To our Creator’s temple.
Composer
Richard Strauss
Richard Georg Strauss was a German composer of the late Romantic and early modern eras. He is particularly well-known for his operas, Lieder, and tone poems. Read more here.
Poet
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
Johann Wolfgang Goethe was a German writer and statesman. His body of work includes epic and lyric poetry written in a variety of metres and styles; prose and verse dramas; memoirs; an autobiography; literary and aesthetic criticism; treatises on…