Drinking song from the 14th century
(Poet's title: Trinklied aus dem 14. Jahrhundert)
Set by Schubert:
D 847
for TTBB quartet[July 1825]
Edit Nonna, edit Clerus,
Ad edendum nemo serus,
Bibit ille, bibit illa,
Bibit servus cum ancilla.
Bibit Abbas cum Priore,
Bibit coquus cum factore,
Et pro Rege et pro Papa,
Bibunt vinum sine aqua.
Et pro Papa et pro Rege
Bibunt omnes sine lege,
Bibunt primum et secundo
Donec nihil sit in fundo!
The nun eats, the priest eats,
Nobody arrives too late for the meal,
He drinks, she drinks,
The slave drinks, the maid drinks.
The Abbot drinks with the Prior,
The cook drinks with the worker,
And like the King and like the Pope
They drink wine without any water.
And like the Pope and like the King
Everybody drinks without limits,
They drink one and then another
Until there is not a drop left!
All translations into English that appear on this website, unless otherwise stated, are by Malcolm Wren. You are free to use them on condition that you acknowledge Malcolm Wren as the translator and schubertsong.uk as the source. Unless otherwise stated, the comments and essays that appear after the texts and translations are by Malcolm Wren and are © Copyright.
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Confirmed with Historische Antiquitäten, oder auserlesene, wenig bekannte, zum Theil noch ungedruckte Denkwürdigkeiten, aus der Menschen-, Völker-, Sitten-, Kunst- und Literar-Geschichte der Vorwelt und des Mittelalters. Ein Seitenstück zu F. Gräffers historischen Raritäten und zu dessen Clyos Curiositäten-Cabinet. Herausgegeben von Rittgräff. Zweiter Theil. Wien, 1815, bei Carl Gerold, pages 89-90; with M. Paul Christian Hilschern Curiöse Bedancken / Von dem Gebrauche am Sonntage Lætare Welchen man insgemein nennet Den Todt austreiben. Aus dem Lateinischen übersetzet durch M. M. Dresden und Leipzig / Bey Johann Christoph Miethen. 1701, page 59; and with Ritu Dominica Lætare quem vulgo appellant, Den Tod austreiben Consensu Ampliss. Facultatis Philosophicæ Pro Loco In Eadem. D. V. Obtinendo Prima Vice Ad D. Jul. A. R. O. M. DC. XC. [1690] Publice Disputabit M. Paulus Christianus Hilscher / Waldh. Misn. Lipsiæ, Literis Christophori Guntheri; footnote to § 21.
Previously misattributed to Franz Arnold Gräffer (1785 – 1852)