Archive for the ‘Johann Gottfried Herder’ Category
A promise for every day of the year
| Die Red’ ist uns gegeben, | The power of speech was given |
| Damit wir nicht allein | To us not to live alone |
| Für uns nur sollen leben | Just for our own sake |
| Und fern von Leuten sein; | Far from all others; |
| Wir sollen uns befragen | We should ask questions |
| Und sehn auf guten Rat, | And listen to good advice, |
| Das Leid einander klagen, | And speak up among ourselves |
| So uns betreten hat.
|
About our sufferings. |
| Was kann die Freude machen, | What good comes from a joy |
| Die Einsamkeit verhehlt? | That is hidden in loneliness? |
| Das gibt ein doppelt Lachen, | When you smile, tell your friends |
| Was Freunden wird erzählt. | To double the smile. |
| Der kann sein Leid vergessen, | You may overcome your pain |
| Der es von Herzen sagt; | If you tell it from your heart; |
| Der muß sich selbst zerfressen, | You will gnaw yourself away |
| Der in geheim sich nagt.
|
If you keep it a secret. |
Two stanzas from Lied der Freundschaft ( Song of Friendship ) by Simon Dach, 1605-1659. This baroque poet could have been forgotten, were it not for Johann Gottfried Herder, who in the following century reprinted some of his poems in the great anthology Stimmen der Völker in Liedern ( Voices of Nations through their Songs ).
