Songs

Ob der Koran von Ewigkeit sei

by Hugo Wolf From Goethe-Lieder (1891)

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Text & Translation

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Ob der Koran von Ewigkeit sei
German source: Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

Ob der Koran von Ewigkeit sei?
Darnach frag ich nicht!
Ob der Koran geschaffen sei?
Das weiß ich nicht!
Daß er das Buch der Bücher sei,
Glaub ich aus Mosleminenpflicht.
Daß aber der Wein von Ewigkeit sei,
Daran zweifl' ich nicht;
Oder daß er vor den Engeln geschaffen sei,
Ist vielleicht auch kein Gedicht.
Der Trinkende, wie es auch immer sei,
Blickt Gott frischer ins Angesicht.

Has the Koran existed since time began?
English translation © Richard Stokes

Has the Koran existed since time began?
I do not enquire!
Was the Koran created?
I do not know!
That it is the Book of Books,
I, as a dutiful Muslim, believe.
That wine has existed since time began,
I do not doubt;
And that it was created before the angels,
May also well be true.
Be that as it may, he who imbibes
Sees God’s countenance more clearly.

Ob der Koran von Ewigkeit sei
German source: Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

Has the Koran existed since time began?
English source: Richard Stokes

Ob der Koran von Ewigkeit sei?
Has the Koran existed since time began?
Darnach frag ich nicht!
I do not enquire!
Ob der Koran geschaffen sei?
Was the Koran created?
Das weiß ich nicht!
I do not know!
Daß er das Buch der Bücher sei,
That it is the Book of Books,
Glaub ich aus Mosleminenpflicht.
I, as a dutiful Muslim, believe.
Daß aber der Wein von Ewigkeit sei,
That wine has existed since time began,
Daran zweifl' ich nicht;
I do not doubt;
Oder daß er vor den Engeln geschaffen sei,
And that it was created before the angels,
Ist vielleicht auch kein Gedicht.
May also well be true.
Der Trinkende, wie es auch immer sei,
Be that as it may, he who imbibes
Blickt Gott frischer ins Angesicht.
Sees God’s countenance more clearly.

Composer

Hugo Wolf

Hugo Filipp Jakob Wolf was born on 13 March 1860, the fourth of six surviving children, in Windischgraz, Styria, then part of the Austrian Empire. He was taught the piano and violin by his father at an early age and continued to study piano at the…

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…

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