The Poems of Goethe, Johann Wolfgang von Goethe [e novels for free .txt] 📗

>Have their babblings rated; To account we've even call'd us

For the moments that enthrall'd us, With enjoyment freighted.

If thou'lt absolution grant

To thy true ones ever, We, to execute thy will,

Ceaseless will endeavour, From half-measures strive to wean us,

Wholly, fairly, well demean us, Resting, flagging never.

At all blockheads we'll at once

Let our laugh ring clearly, And the pearly-foaming wine

Never sip at merely. Ne'er with eye alone give kisses,

But with boldness suck in blisses From those lips loved dearly.

1803.* -----

COPTIC SONG.

LEAVE we the pedants to quarrel and strive,

Rigid and cautious the teachers to be! All of the wisest men e'er seen alive

Smile, nod, and join in the chorus with me: "Vain 'tis to wait till the dolt grows less silly! Play then the fool with the fool, willy-nilly,--

Children of wisdom,--remember the word!"

Merlin the old, from his glittering grave, When I, a stripling, once spoke to him,--gave

Just the same answer as that I've preferr'd; "Vain 'tis to wait till the dolt grows less silly! Play then the fool with the fool, willy-nilly,--

Children of wisdom,--remember the word!"

And on the Indian breeze as it booms, And in the depths of Egyptian tombs,

Only the same holy saying I've heard: "Vain 'tis to wait till the dolt grows less silly! Play then the fool with the fool, willy-nilly,--

Children of wisdom,--remember the word!"

1789.* -----

ANOTHER.

Go! obedient to my call,

Turn to profit thy young days,

Wiser make betimes thy breast

In Fate's balance as it sways,

Seldom is the cock at rest; Thou must either mount, or fall,

Thou must either rule and win,

Or submissively give in, Triumph, or else yield to clamour: Be the anvil or the hammer.

1789. -----

VANITAS! VANITATUM VANITAS!

MY trust in nothing now is placed,

Hurrah! So in the world true joy I taste, Hurrah! Then he who would be a comrade of mine Must rattle his glass, and in chorus combine, Over these dregs of wine.

I placed my trust in gold and wealth,

Hurrah! But then I lost all joy and health, Lack-a-day! Both here and there the money roll'd, And when I had it here, behold, From there had fled the gold!

I placed my trust in women next,

Hurrah! But there in truth was sorely vex'd, Lack-a-day! The False another portion sought, The True with tediousness were fraught, The Best could not be bought.

My trust in travels then I placed,

Hurrah! And left my native land in haste. Lack-a-day! But not a single thing seem'd good, The beds were bad, and strange the food, And I not understood.

I placed my trust in rank and fame,

Hurrah! Another put me straight to shame, Lack-a-day! And as I had been prominent, All scowl'd upon me as I went, I found not one content.

I placed my trust in war and fight,

Hurrah! We gain'd full many a triumph bright, Hurrah! Into the foeman's land we cross'd, We put our friends to equal cost, And there a leg I lost.

My trust is placed in nothing now,

Hurrah! At my command the world must bow, Hurrah! And as we've ended feast and strain, The cup we'll to the bottom drain; No dregs must there remain! 1806. -----

FORTUNE OF WAR.

NOUGHT more accursed in war I know

Than getting off scot-free; Inured to danger, on we go

In constant victory; We first unpack, then pack again,

With only this reward, That when we're marching, we complain,

And when in camp, are bor'd.

The time for billeting comes next,--

The peasant curses it; Each nobleman is sorely vex'd,

'Tis hated by the cit. Be civil, bad though be thy food,

The clowns politely treat; If to our hosts we're ever rude,

Jail-bread we're forced to eat.

And when the cannons growl around,

And small arms rattle clear, And trumpet, trot, and drum resound,

We merry all appear; And as it in the fight may chance,

We yield, then charge amain, And now retire, and now advance,

And yet a cross ne'er gain.

At length there comes a musket-ball,

And hits the leg, please Heaven; And then our troubles vanish all,

For to the town we're driven, (Well cover'd by the victor's force,)

Where we in wrath first came,-- The women, frightened then, of course,

Are loving now and tame.

Cellar and heart are open'd wide,

The cook's allow'd no rest; While beds with softest down supplied

Are by our members press'd. The nimble lads upon us wait,

No sleep the hostess takes Her shift is torn in pieces straight,--

What wondrous lint it makes!

If one has tended carefully

The hero's wounded limb, Her neighbour cannot rest, for she

Has also tended him. A third arrives in equal haste,

At length they all are there, And in the middle he is placed

Of the whole band so fair!

On good authority the king

Hears how we love the fight, And bids them cross and ribbon bring,

Our coat and breast to dight. Say if a better fate can e'er

A son of Mars pursue! 'Midst tears at length we go from there,

Beloved and honour'd too.

1814. -----

OPEN TABLE.

MANY a guest I'd see to-day,

Met to taste my dishes! Food in plenty is prepar'd,

Birds, and game, and fishes. Invitations all have had,

All proposed attending. Johnny, go and look around!

Are they hither wending?

Pretty girls I hope to see,

Dear and guileless misses, Ignorant how sweet it is

Giving tender kisses. Invitations all have had,

All proposed attending. Johnny, go and look around!

Are they hither wending?

Women also I expect,

Loving tow'rd their spouses, Whose rude grumbling in their breasts

Greater love but rouses. Invitations they've had too,

All proposed attending! Johnny, go and look around!

Are they hither wending?

I've too ask'd young gentlemen,

Who are far from haughty, And whose purses are well-stock'd,

Well-behaved, not haughty. These especially I ask'd,

All proposed attending. Johnny, go and look around!

Are they hither wending?

Men I summon'd with respect,

Who their own wives treasure; Who in ogling other Fair

Never take a pleasure. To my greetings they replied,

All proposed attending. Johnny, go and look around!

Are they hither wending?

Then to make our joy complete,

Poets I invited, Who love other's songs far more

Than what they've indited. All acceded to my wish,

All proposed attending. Johnny, go and look around!

Are they hither wending?

Not a single one appears,

None seem this way posting. All the soup boils fast away,

Joints are over-roasting. Ah, I fear that we have been

Rather too unbending! Johnny, tell me what you think!

None are hither wending.

Johnny, run and quickly bring

Other guests to me now! Each arriving as he is--

That's the plan, I see now. In the town at once 'tis known,

Every one's commending. Johnny, open all the doors:

All are hither wending!

1815.* -----

THE RECKONING.

LEADER.

LET no cares now hover o'er us

Let the wine unsparing run! Wilt thou swell our merry chorus?

Hast thou all thy duty done?

SOLO.

Two young folks--the thing is curious--

Loved each other; yesterday Both quite mild, to-day quite furious,

Next day, quite the deuce to pay! If her neck she there was stooping,

He must here needs pull his hair. I revived their spirits drooping,

And they're now a happy pair.

CHORUS.

Surely we for wine may languish!

Let the bumper then go round! For all sighs and groans of anguish

Thou to-day in joy hast drown'd.

SOLO.

Why, young orphan, all this wailing?

"Would to heaven that I were dead! For my guardian's craft prevailing

Soon will make me beg my bread." Knowing well the rascal genus,

Into court I dragg'd the knave; Fair the judges were between us,

And the maiden's wealth did save.

CHORUS.

Surely we for wine may languish!

Let the bumper then go round! For all sighs and groans of anguish

Thou to-day in joy hast drown'd.

SOLO.

To a little fellow, quiet,

Unpretending and subdued, Has a big clown, running riot,

Been to-day extremely rude. I bethought me of my duty,

And my courage swell'd apace, So I spoil'd the rascal's beauty,

Slashing him across the face.

CHORUS.

Surely we for wine may languish!

Let the bumper then go round! For all sighs and groans of anguish

Thou to-day in joy hast drown'd.

SOLO.

Brief must be my explanation,

For I really have done nought. Free from trouble and vexation,

I a landlord's business bought. There I've done, with all due ardour,

All that duty order'd me; Each one ask'd me for the larder,

And there was no scarcity.

CHORUS.

Surely we for wine may languish!

Let the bumper then go round! For all sighs and groans of anguish

Thou to-day in joy hast drown'd.

LEADER.

Each should thus make proclamation

Of what he did well to-day! That's the match whose conflagration

Should inflame our tuneful lay. Let it be our precept ever

To admit no waverer here! For to act the good endeavour,

None but rascals meek appear.

CHORUS.

Surely we for wine may languish!

Let the bumper then go round! For all sighs and groans of anguish

We have now in rapture drown'd.

TRIO.

Let each merry minstrel enter,

He's right welcome to our hall! 'Tis but with the self�tormentor

That we are not liberal;

For we fear that his caprices,

That his eye-brows dark and sad, That his grief that never ceases

Hide an empty heart, or bad.

CHORUS.

No one now for wine shall languish!

Here no minstrel shall be found, Who all sighs and groans of anguish,

Has not first in rapture drown'd!

1810. -----

ERGO BIBAMUS!

FOR a praiseworthy object we're now gather'd here,

So, brethren, sing: ERGO BIBAMUS! Tho' talk may be hush'd, yet the glasses ring clear, Remember then: ERGO BIBAMUS! In truth 'tis an old, 'tis an excellent word, With its sound so befitting each bosom is stirr'd, And an echo the festal hall filling is heard, A glorious ERGO BIBAMUS!

I saw mine own love in her beauty so rare,

And bethought me of: ERGO BIBAMUS; So I gently approach'd, and she let me stand there, While I help'd myself, thinking: BIBAMUS! And when she's appeased, and will clasp you and kiss, Or when those embraces and kisses ye miss, Take refuge, till sound is some worthier bliss, In the comforting ERGO BIBAMUS!

I am call'd by my fate far away from