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Es fürchte die Götter Das Menschengeschlecht! Sie halten die Herrschaft In ewigen Händen, Und können sie brauchen, Wie's ihnen gefällt. Der fürchte sie doppelt Den je sie erheben! Auf Klippen und Wolken Sind Stühle bereitet Um goldene Tische. Erhebet ein Zwist sich, So stürzen die Gäste, Geschmäht und geschändet In nächtliche Tiefen, Und harren vergebens, Im Finstern gebunden, Gerechten Gerichtes. Sie aber, sie bleiben In ewigen Festen An goldenen Tischen. Sie schreiten vom Berge Zu Bergen hinüber: Aus Schlünden der Tiefe Dampft ihnen der Atem Erstickter Titanen, Gleich Opfergerüchen, Ein leichtes Gewölke. Es wenden die Herrscher Ihr segnendes Auge Von ganzen Geschlechtern Und meiden, im Enkel Die ehmals geliebten, Still redenden Züge Des Ahnherrn zu sehn. So sangen die Parzen; Es horcht der Verbannte, In nächtlichen Höhlen Der Alte die Lieder, Denkt Kinder und Enkel Und schüttelt das Haupt.
About the headline (FAQ)
Text Authorship:
- by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749 - 1832), no title, appears in Iphigenie auf Tauris, Act 4, lines 1726-1766 [author's text checked 1 time against a primary source]
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
- by Johannes Brahms (1833 - 1897), "Gesang der Parzen", op. 89 (1882), published 1883 [ chorus, orchestra ], Berlin, Simrock [sung text checked 1 time]
- by Johann Friedrich Reichardt (1752 - 1814), "Lied der Parzen", published 1809 [ vocal quartet ] [sung text checked 1 time]
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- CAT Catalan (Català) (Salvador Pila) , copyright © 2022, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- DUT Dutch (Nederlands) [singable] (Lau Kanen) , "Gezang der Parcen", copyright © 2015, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- ENG English (Emily Ezust) , no title, copyright ©
- FRE French (Français) (Pierre Mathé) , "Le chant des Parques", copyright © 2008, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- ITA Italian (Italiano) (Ferdinando Albeggiani) , "Tema gli dei", copyright © 2008, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 41
Word count: 139
Let the race of mankind fear the gods! For they hold dominion over them in their eternal hands, and can demand what they please of us. Doubly so should those fear them who have been exalted by them! On cliffs and clouds stools stand ready around golden tables. If a dispute arises, the guests are pitched down, abused and shamed, into the deep dark of night; and they wait futilely, bound in the dark, for justice to be served. But they [the gods] remain at their eternal feast at the golden tables. They step from mountain to mountain, up above: from the abysses of the deep steams the breath of suffocating Titans, like a burnt offering, a light mist. The rulers turn away their blessed eyes from entire races of people, shunning the sight in their descendants of those formerly beloved and silently-speaking features of our ancestors. So sang the Fates; the banished one listens in his night-dark lair to the songs of the ancient ones, thinks of his children and grandchildren and shakes his head.
About the headline (FAQ)
Translations of titles
"Gesang der Parzen" = "Song of the Fates"
"Lied der Parzen" = "Song of the Fates"
Text Authorship:
- Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © by Emily Ezust
Emily Ezust permits her translations to be reproduced without prior permission for printed (not online) programs to free-admission concerts only, provided the following credit is given:
Translation copyright © by Emily Ezust,
from the LiederNet Archive -- https://www.lieder.net/For any other purpose, please write to the e-mail address below to request permission and discuss possible fees.
licenses@email.lieder.example.net
Based on:
- a text in German (Deutsch) by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749 - 1832), no title, appears in Iphigenie auf Tauris, Act 4, lines 1726-1766
This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 41
Word count: 176