Help with German poetry please

AlexBell · 07-16-2017, 02:50 AM

I'm now working on In the Mountains by Elizabeth von Arnim for the MobileRead library. The book was published in 1920, and doesn't have much German.

There is a couplet for which I can more or less translate each line, but can't make them make sense together. The couplet is:

Reines Glück geniesst doch nie
Wer zahlen soll und weiss nicht wie.

Can anyone help, please? If it is from a well known poem could you also provide the author's name?

LucyOne · 07-16-2017, 03:05 AM

The person who is supposed to pay and doesn't know how
Never enjoys pure happiness

HarryT · 07-16-2017, 03:36 AM

Alex, you really should try doing a Google search. It took me about 5 seconds to identify the poem and its author:

http://www.bier-lexikon.lauftext.de/wilhelm-busch.htm

AlexBell · 07-16-2017, 05:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HarryT

Alex, you really should try doing a Google search. It took me about 5 seconds to identify the poem and its author:

http://www.bier-lexikon.lauftext.de/wilhelm-busch.htm

Thanks, Harry. I was actually looking for the English translation, which so far as I can tell is not given on the site you found.

AlexBell · 07-16-2017, 05:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LucyOne

The person who is supposed to pay and doesn't know how
Never enjoys pure happiness

Thanks for the translation.

HarryT · 07-16-2017, 07:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AlexBell

Thanks, Harry. I was actually looking for the English translation, which so far as I can tell is not given on the site you found.

It isn't - very true. I was referring to the "can anyone tell me the name of the poem and the author" part of your post.

AlexBell · 07-16-2017, 10:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LucyOne

The person who is supposed to pay and doesn't know how
Never enjoys pure happiness

Thanks again, LucyOne.

I've looked around some more after seeing your translation, and wonder whether

Pure happiness can never be enjoyed by those who should pay and do not know how.

might work - it puts the meaning in the same order as the published lines. Would this be a reasonable translation? I really am only guessing.

Gudy · 07-17-2017, 04:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AlexBell

I've looked around some more after seeing your translation, and wonder whether

Pure happiness can never be enjoyed by those who should pay and do not know how.

might work - it puts the meaning in the same order as the published lines. Would this be a reasonable translation? I really am only guessing.

Looks good to me.

AlexBell · 07-17-2017, 07:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gudy

Looks good to me.

Thanks, Gudy. Unless I get any better suggestions that's what I'll use.

LucyOne · 07-19-2017, 04:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AlexBell

Thanks again, LucyOne.

I've looked around some more after seeing your translation, and wonder whether

Pure happiness can never be enjoyed by those who should pay and do not know how.

might work - it puts the meaning in the same order as the published lines. Would this be a reasonable translation? I really am only guessing.

Sure, this works. My translation was done "on the fly", no time for inversion

doubleshuffle · 07-19-2017, 09:21 AM

I've come up with something that almost rhymes:

Pure bliss, alas, cannot enjoy
Someone who must, but cannot, pay.

AlexBell · 07-19-2017, 09:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by doubleshuffle

I've come up with something that almost rhymes:

Pure bliss, alas, cannot enjoy
Someone who must, but cannot, pay.

Thanks

Gudy · 07-20-2017, 04:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by doubleshuffle

I've come up with something that almost rhymes:

Pure bliss, alas, cannot enjoy
Someone who must, but cannot, pay.

Good job! I I tried to come up with something similar but only drew a blank this time.

07-16-2017, 02:50 AM	#1
AlexBell Wizard Posts: 3,413 Karma: 13369310 Join Date: May 2008 Location: Launceston, Tasmania Device: Sony PRS T3, Kobo Glo, Kindle Touch, iPad, Samsung SB 2 tablet	Help with German poetry please I'm now working on In the Mountains by Elizabeth von Arnim for the MobileRead library. The book was published in 1920, and doesn't have much German. There is a couplet for which I can more or less translate each line, but can't make them make sense together. The couplet is: Reines Glück geniesst doch nie Wer zahlen soll und weiss nicht wie. Can anyone help, please? If it is from a well known poem could you also provide the author's name?

07-19-2017, 09:21 AM	#11
doubleshuffle Unicycle Daredevil Posts: 13,940 Karma: 185392166 Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Planet of the Pudding Brains Device: Aura HD (R.I.P. After six years the USB socket died.) tolino shine 3	I've come up with something that almost rhymes: Pure bliss, alas, cannot enjoy Someone who must, but cannot, pay. Last edited by doubleshuffle; 07-19-2017 at 10:35 AM.

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07-16-2017, 03:05 AM	#2
LucyOne Librocubicularist Posts: 617 Karma: 11908623 Join Date: Dec 2013 Location: Germany Device: PocketBook InkPad 3 & Touch HD 3, Kobo Clara HD, Kindle Paperwhite 5	The person who is supposed to pay and doesn't know how Never enjoys pure happiness

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HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 85,544 Karma: 93383043 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6	Alex, you really should try doing a Google search. It took me about 5 seconds to identify the poem and its author: http://www.bier-lexikon.lauftext.de/wilhelm-busch.htm

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