"Klopstock!"

April 15, 2006 9:58 PM

Can anyone produce a translation of Klopstock's poem "Der Frühlingsfeyer"? By "produce a translation" I don't mean your own (unless you want to!), but I also don't mean "tell me it's in European Romantic Poetry", since I can't find a copy of that book around nor can I get one in time (by Wednesday). I mean post one, or email me one (in profile), or the like. This isn't schoolwork, though it is related to schoolwork—you won't be helping me cheat or anything like that. (I found this translation online but am looking for something a little more faithful, if possible.)
posted by kenko to media & arts (3 comments total)

I tried my hand at the first part:

The springtime festival
(1. edition, 1759)

Not into the ocean
of the worlds
do I want to plunge myself

Not to float amongst those created first
Where the son of lights' choirs of rejoicing
Pray, deeply pray to
And melt in delight

Only for that drop upon the bucket
Just to float around the earth
and pray!

Hallelujah! Hallelujah!
That drop upon the bucket also
flowed from the hand of the almighty!



nb: I suck at poetry, so that's closer to a literal translation than a poetic translation.

I gotta go now. I'm sure as my fellow Euros wake up, somebody will be able to continue :)

Also, the "translation" you linked to seems to be a mish-mash of babelfish and half-hearted translation attempts.
posted by slater at 10:39 PM on April 15, 2006

I'd just like to point out the the 'translation' is by John Abraham Heraud (1799–1887) who in all likelihood did not have access to Babelfish.

It's a bit convoluted and archaic but it's not that bad. If you want better before Wednesday I imagine you're going to have to translate it yourself. If you combine Heraud for the sense and Babelfish/your own gumption for the literality, you should be ok.
posted by unSane at 6:08 AM on April 16, 2006

There's a prose translation of part of the poem about two-thirds of the way down this page (search on "festival").
posted by languagehat at 6:42 AM on April 16, 2006