Prometheus

Bedecke deinen Himmel, Zeus,
Mit Wolkendunst
Und übe, dem Knaben gleich,
Der Disteln köpft,
An Eichen dich und Bergeshöh'n;
Mußt mir meine Erde
Doch lassen stehn
Und meine Hütte, die du nicht gebaut,
Und meines Herd,
Um dessen Glut
Du mich beneidest.

Ich kenne nichts Ärmeres
Unter der Sonn', als euch, Götter!
Ihr nähret kümmerlich
Von Opfersteuern
Und Gebetshauch
Eure Majestät
Und darbtet, wären
Nicht Kinder und Bettler
Hoffnungsvolle Toren.

Da ich ein Kind war
Nicht wußte, wo aus noch ein,
Kehrt' ich mein verirrtes Auge
Zur Sonne, als wenn drüber wär'
Ein Ohr, zu hören meine Klage,
Ein Herz wie meins,
Sich des Bedrängten zu erbarmen.

Wer half mir
Wider der Titanen Übermut?
Wer rettete vom Tode mich,
Von Sklaverei?
Hast du nicht alles selbst vollendet
Heilig glühend Herz?
Und glühtest jung und gut,
Betrogen, Rettungsdank
Dem Schlafenden da droben?

Ich dich ehren? Wofür?
Hast du die Schmerzen gelindert
Je des Beladenen?
Hast du die Tränen gestillet
Je des Geängsteten?
Hat nicht mich zum Manne geschmiedet
Die allmächtige Zeit
Und das ewige Schicksal,
Meine Herrn und deine?

Wähntest du etwa,
Ich sollte das Leben hassen,
In Wüsten fliehen,
Weil nicht alle
Blütenträume reiften?

Hier sitz' ich, forme Menschen
Nach meinem Bilde.
Ein Geschlecht, das mir gleich sei,
Zu leiden, zu weinen,
Zu genießen und zu freuen sich
Und dein nicht zu achten,
Wie ich!

by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749-1832)

Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive)

by Jan Willem Frans Brandts-Buys (1868-1933) , "Prometheus", op. 42 (Vier Lieder) no. 1, published <<1925. [bass and piano]
by Johann Friedrich Reichardt (1752-1814) , "Prometheus", published 1809.
by Julius Röntgen (1855-1932) , "Prometheus", op. 99.
by Franz Peter Schubert (1797-1828) , "Prometheus", D. 674 (1819).
by Hugo Wolf (1860-1903) , "Prometheus", from Goethe-Lieder, no. 49.

ENG English (Emily Ezust)
SPA Spanish (unknown or anonymous translator)
ITA Italian (Amelia Maria Imbarrato)
DUT Dutch [singable] (Lau Kanen)

Text added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.

Notes about green, red, and white dots

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Prometheus

 Cover your heavens, Zeus,
 with gauzy clouds,
 and practice, like a boy
 who beheads thistles,
 on the oaks and peaks of mountains;
 but you must allow
 my world to stand,
 and my hut, which you did not build,
 and my hearth,
 whose glow
 you envy me.

 I know nothing more shabby
 under the sun, than you gods!
 You wretchedly nourish,
 from offerings
 and the breath of prayers,
 your majesty;
 And you would starve, were
 children and beggars not
 such hopeful fools.

 When I was a child
 I did not know in from out;
  I turned my confused eyes
 to the sun, as if above it there were
 an ear to hear my laments -
 a heart like mine
 that would pity the oppressed.

 Who helped me
 against the pride of the titans?
 Who rescued me from death -
 from slavery?
 Did you not accomplish it all yourself,
 my sacred, glowing heart?
 Yet did you not glow with ardent and youthful goodness,
 deceived, and full of gratitude
 to the sleepers above?

 I, honor you? Why?
 Have you ever alleviated the pain
 of one who is oppressed?
 Have you ever quieted the tears
 of one who is distressed?
 Was I not forged into a man
 by all-mighty Time
 and eternal Fate,
 my masters and yours?

 You were deluded if you thought
 I should hate life
 and fly into the wilderness
 because not all of my
 budding dreams blossomed.

 Here I will sit, forming men
 after my own image.
 It will be a race like me,
 to suffer, to weep,
 to enjoy and to rejoice,
 and to pay no attention to you,
 as I do!

Translation from German to English copyright © by Emily Ezust, emily (AT) lieder (DOT) net, http://www.lieder.net/

a text in German by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749-1832) DUT ITA SPA

Text added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.