Text & Translation
Punschlied 'Vier Elemente'
German source:
Friedrich von Schiller
Bilden das Leben, bauen die Welt.
Presst der Citrone saftigen Stern!
Herb ist das Lebens innerster Kern.
Jetzt mit des Zuckers linderndem Saft
Zähmet die herbe, brennende Kraft!
Giesset des Wassers sprudelndem Schwall!
Wasser umfänget ruhig das All.
Tropfen des Geistes giesset hinein!
Leben dem Leben giebt er allein.
Eh’ es verdüftet, schöpfet es schnell!
Nur wenn er glühet labet der Quell.
Punch Song
English translation ©
Richard Wigmore
make up life and fashion the world.
Press the lemon’s juicy star!
Bitter is life’s innermost core.
Now with sugar’s sweetening juice
tame its bitter, stinging power.
Pour the water’s bubbling torrent!
Water calmly enfolds the universe.
Pour in the drops of the spirit,
for the spirit alone animates life!
Take it in quickly, before its savour fades!
Only when it glows does the stream refresh!
Punschlied 'Vier Elemente'
German source:
Friedrich von Schiller
Punch Song
English source:
Richard Wigmore
Vier Elemente, innig gesellt,
Four elements, inwardly linked,
Bilden das Leben, bauen die Welt.
make up life and fashion the world.
Presst der Citrone saftigen Stern!
Press the lemon’s juicy star!
Herb ist das Lebens innerster Kern.
Bitter is life’s innermost core.
Jetzt mit des Zuckers linderndem Saft
Now with sugar’s sweetening juice
Zähmet die herbe, brennende Kraft!
tame its bitter, stinging power.
Giesset des Wassers sprudelndem Schwall!
Pour the water’s bubbling torrent!
Wasser umfänget ruhig das All.
Water calmly enfolds the universe.
Tropfen des Geistes giesset hinein!
Pour in the drops of the spirit,
Leben dem Leben giebt er allein.
for the spirit alone animates life!
Eh’ es verdüftet, schöpfet es schnell!
Take it in quickly, before its savour fades!
Nur wenn er glühet labet der Quell.
Only when it glows does the stream refresh!
Composer
Franz Schubert
Franz Peter Schubert was an late Classical and early Romantic composer. He produced a vast oeuvre during his short life, composing more the 600 vocal works (largely Lieder), and well as several symphonies, operas, and a large body of piano music. He…
Poet
Friedrich von Schiller
Johann Christoph Friedrich von Schiller was a German poet, philosopher, physician, historian, and playwright. During the last seventeen years of his life (1788–1805), Schiller struck up a productive, if complicated, friendship with the already…