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German to English: Ode to Joy Detailed field: Poetry & Literature
Source text - German An die Freude
Freude, schoener Goetterfunken,
Tochter aus Elysium,
Wir betreten feuertrunken
Himmlische, dein Heiligtum.
Deine Zauber binden wieder,
Was der Mode streng geteilt;
Alle Menschen werden Brueder,
Wo dein sanfter Fluegel weilt.
Chor
Seid umschlungen, Millionen!
Diesen Kuss der ganzen Welt!
Brueder -- Ueberm Sternenzelt
Muss ein lieber Vater wohnen.
Wem der grosse Wurf gelungen,
Eines Freundes Freund zu sein;
Wer ein holdes Wieb errungen,
Mische seinen Jubel ein!
Ja - wer auch nur {eine} Seele
{Sein} nennt auf dem Erdenrund!
Und wers nie gekonnt, der stehle
Weinend sich aus diesem Bund!
Chor
Was den grossen Ring bewohnet,
Huldige der Sympathie!
Zu den Sternen leitet sie,
Wo der {Unbekannte} thronet.
Freude trinken alle Wesen
An den Bruesten der Natur,
Alle Guten, alle Boesen
Folgen ihrer Rosenspur.
Kuesse gab sie {uns} und {Reben},
Einen Freund, geprueft im Tod.
Wollust ward dem Wurm gegeben,
Und der Cherub steht vor Gott.
Chor
Ihr stuerzt nieder, Millionen?
{Ahndest} du den Schoepfer, Welt?
Such ihn ueberm Sternenzelt,
Ueber Sternen muss er wohnen.
Freude heisst die starke Feder
In der ewigen Natur.
Freude, Freude treibt die Raeder
In der grossen Weltenuhr.
Blumen lockt sie aus den Keimen,
Sonnen aus dem Firmament,
Sphaeren rollt sie in den Raeumen,
Die des Sehers Rohr nicht kennt.
Chor
Froh, wie seine Sonnen fliegen,
Durch des Himmels praechtgen Plan,
Laufet, Brueder, eure Bahn,
Freudig wie ein Held zum Siegen.
Aus der Wahrheit Feurerspiegel
Laechelt {sie} den Forscher an,
Zu der Tugend steilem Huegel
Leitet {sie} des Dulders Bahn.
Auf des Glaubens Sonnenberge
Sieht man {ihre} Fahnen wehn,
Durch den Riss gesprengter Saerge
{Sie} im Chor der Engel stehn.
Chor
Duldet mutig, Millionen!
Duldet fuer die bessre Welt!
Droben ueberm Sternenzelt
Wird ein grosser Gott belohen.
Goettern kann man nicht vergelten,
Schoen ists, ihnen gleich zu sein.
Gram und Armut soll sich melden,
Mit den Frohen sich erfreun.
Groll und Rache sei vergessen,
Unserm Todfeind sei verziehn,
Keine Traene soll ihn pressen,
Keine Reue nage ihn.
Chor
Unser Schuldbuch sei vernichtet!
Ausgesoehnt die ganze Welt!
Brueder -- ueberm Sternenzelt
Richtet Gott, wie wir gerichtet.
{Freude} sprudelt in Pokalen,
In der Traube goldnem Blut
Trinken Sanftmut Kannibalen,
Die Verzweiflung Heldenmut --
Brueder, fliegt von euren Sitzen,
Wenn der volle Roemer kreist,
Lasst den Schaum zum Himmel spruetzen:
Dieses Glas dem guten Geist.
Chor
Den der Sterne Wirbel loben,
Den des Seraphs Hymne preist,
{Dieses Glas dem guten Geist}
Ueberm Sternenzelt dort oben!
Festen Mut in schwerem Leiden,
Huelfe, wo die Unschuld weint,
Ewigkeit geschwornen Eiden,
Wahrheit gegen Freund und Feind,
Maennerstolz vor Koenigsthronen --
Brueder, gaelt es Gut und Blut, --
Dem Verdienste seine Kronen,
Untergang der Luegenbrust!
Chor
Schliesst den heilgen Zirkel dichter,
Schwoert bei diesem goldnen Wein:
Dem Geluebde treu zu sein,
Schwoert es bei dem Sternenrichter!
Rettung von Tyrannenketten,
Grossmut auch dem Boesewicht,
Hoffnung auf den Sterbebetten,
Gnade auf dem Hochgericht!
Auch die Toten sollen leben!
Brueder trinkt und stimmet ein,
Allen Suendern soll vergeben,
Und die Hoelle nicht mehr sein.
Chor
Eine heitre Abschiedsstunde!
Suessen Schlaf im Leichentuch!
Brueder -- einen sanften Spruch
Aus des Totenrichters Munde!
Translation - English To Joy
Joy, thou beauteous godly lightning,
Daughter of Elysium,
Fire drunken we are ent'ring
Heavenly, thy holy home!
Thy enchantments bind together,
What did custom stern divide,
Every man becomes a brother,
Where thy gentle wings abide.
Chorus
Be embrac'd, ye millions yonder!
Take this kiss throughout the world!
Brothers - o'er the stars unfurl'd
Must reside a loving father.
Who the noble prize achieveth,
Good friend of a friend to be;
Who a lovely wife attaineth,
Join us in his jubilee!
Yes - he too who but {one} being
On this earth can call {his}own!
He who ne'er was able, weeping
Stealeth from this league alone!
Chorus
He who in the great ring dwelleth,
Homage pays to sympathy!
To the stars above leads she,
Where on high the {Unknown} reigneth.
Joy is drunk by every being
From kind nature's flowing breasts,
Every evil, every good thing
For her rosy footprint quests.
Gave she {us} both {vines} and kisses,
In the face of death, a friend,
To the worm were given blisses
And the Cherubs God attend.
Chorus
Fall before him, all ye millions?
{Know'st} thou the Creator, world?
Seek above the stars unfurl'd,
Yonder dwells He in the heavens.
Joy commands the hardy mainspring
Of the universe eterne.
Joy, oh joy the wheel is driving
Which the world's great clock doth turn.
Flowers from the buds she coaxes,
Suns from out the hyaline,
Spheres she rotates through expanses,
Which the seer can't divine.
Chorus
As the suns are flying, happy
Through the heaven's glorious plane,
Travel, brothers, down your lane,
Joyful as in hero's vict'ry.
From the truth's own fiery mirror
On the searcher doth {she} smile.
Up the steep incline of honor
Guideth {she} the suff'rer's mile.
High upon faith's sunlit mountains
One can see {her} banner flies,
Through the breach of open'd coffins
{She} in angel's choir doth rise.
Chorus
Suffer on courageous millions!
Suffer for a better world!
O'er the tent of stars unfurl'd
God rewards you from the heavens.
Gods can never be requited,
Beauteous 'tis, their like to be.
Grief and want shall be reported,
So to cheer with gaiety.
Hate and vengeance be forgotten,
Pardon'd be our mortal foe,
Not a teardrop shall him dampen,
No repentance bring him low.
Chorus
Let our book of debts be cancell'd!
Reconcile the total world!
Brothers -- o'er the stars unfurl'd
God doth judge, as we have settl'd.
{Joy} doth bubble from this rummer,
From the golden blood of grape
Cannibals imbibe good temper,
Weak of heart their courage take --
Brothers, fly up from thy places,
When the brimming cup doth pass,
Let the foam shoot up in spaces;
To the goodly Soul this glass!
Chorus
Whom the crown of stars doth honor,
Whom the hymns of Seraphs bless,
{To the goodly Soul this glass}
O'er the tent of stars up yonder!
Courage firm in grievous trial,
Help, where innocence doth scream,
Oaths which sworn to are eternal,
Truth to friend and foe the same,
Manly pride 'fore kingly power --
Brothers, cost it life and blood, --
Honor to whom merits honor,
Ruin to the lying brood!
Chorus
Closer draw the holy circle,
Swear it by this golden wine,
Faithful to the vow divine,
Swear it by the Judge celestial!
Rescue from the tyrant's fetters,
Mercy to the villain e'en,
Hope within the dying hours,
Pardon at the guillotine!
E'en the dead shall live in heaven!
Brothers, drink and all agree,
Every sin shall be forgiven,
Hell forever cease to be.
Chorus
A serene departing hour!
Pleasant sleep beneath the pall!
Brothers -- gentle words for all
Doth the Judge of mortals utter!
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Translation education
Bachelor's degree - Wesleyan University
Experience
Years of experience: 25. Registered at ProZ.com: Jul 2005. Became a member: Dec 2005.
I received a BA from Wesleyan University in Middletown, Conn., graduating Magna Cum Laude, Phi Beta Kappa (1963-67), studied one semester abroad in Vienna, Austria at the American Institute and at the University of Cologne, Germany (1964) and attended Harvard Graduate School of the Arts and Sciences in 1967. I have translated and edited, four volumes of translations of the works of Friedrich Schiller, {Friedrich Schiller: Poet of Freedom}, and one volume of the works of Nicolaus of Cusa, {Towards a New Council of Florence}. The German poet Friedrich Gottlieb Klopstock was the godfather of one of my fourth great-grandfathers. As an editor of a weekly news magazine and formerly the editor-in-chief of a quarterly cultural magazine, I have experience in editing English text.
As a freelance translator, I have extensive experience in translating patents, patentability reports and challenges to the granting of patents. I also have experience in translating business contracts and sales proposals, power-point presentations, financial texts, medical reports and studies, certificates, including birth, marriage and death certificates, diplomas and school transcripts, legal judgments, lawsuits, website pages and CD booklets. I have also translated articles on architecture, items for an art gallery catalog, a Classical Musicians' Museum website, a health management handbook, personal tax records, pension insurance notifications, brochures for a pension insurance agency and economic reports. Many of the translations I have done of the works of Nicolaus of Cusa were the first translations of those works to appear in English. My translation of On Conjectures was used by the American Cusanus Society at one of its seminars. The Catholic monthly liturgical prayer book Magnificat, published in harmony with the National Conference of Bishops and the Secretariat for the Liturgy published an excerpt from my translation of Cusa's On the Peace of Faith in Nov. 2006. My translation of Friedrich Schiller's `Ode to Joy' was published in The Wall Street Journal, Online, on May 6, 2003. I did the first English translation of Christian Wolff's Preface and Discussion of the Leibniz-Clarke correspondence.
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