Beethoven's World | Biography | Ode to Joy |Schiller|Cartas
| Ode To Joy |
| 1 Joy, beautiful spark of Gods, |
| 2 Daughter of Elysium, |
| 3 We enter, fire-imbibed, |
| 4 Heavenly, thy sanctuary. |
| 5 Thy magic powers re-unite |
| 6 What custom's sword has divided |
| 7 Beggars become Princes' brothers |
| 8 Where thy gentle wing abides. |
| Chorus |
| 9 Be embraced, millions! |
| 10 This kiss to the entire world! |
| 11 Brothers - above the starry canopy |
| 12 A loving father must dwell. |
| 13 Whoever has had the great fortune, |
| 14 To be a friend's friend, |
| 15 Whoever has won the love of a devoted wife, |
| 16 Add his to our jubilation! |
| 17 Indeed, whoever can call even one soul |
| 18 His own on this earth! |
| 19 And whoever was never able to must creep |
| 20 Tearfully away from this circle. |
| Chorus |
| 21 Those who dwell in the great circle, |
| 22 Pay homage to sympathy! |
| 23 It leads to the stars, |
| 24 Where the Unknown reigns. |
| 25 Joy all creatures drink |
| 26 At nature's bosoms; |
| 27 All, Just and Unjust, |
| 28 Follow her rose-petalled path. |
| 29 Kisses she gave us, and Wine, |
| 30 A friend, proven in death, |
| 31 Pleasure was given (even) to the worm, |
| 32 And the Cherub stands before God. |
| Chorus |
| 33 You bough down, millions? |
| 34 Can you sense the Creator, world? |
| 35 Seek him above the starry canopy. |
| 36 Above the stars He must dwell. |
| 37 Joy is called the strong motivation |
| 38 In eternal nature. |
| 39 Joy, joy moves the wheels |
| 40 In the universal time machine. |
| 41 Flowers it calls forth from their buds, |
| 42 Suns from the Firmament, |
| 43 Spheres it moves far out in Space, |
| 44 Where our telescopes cannot reach. |
| Chorus |
| 45 Joyful, as His suns are flying, |
| 46 Across the Firmament's splendid design, |
| 47 Run, brothers, run your race, |
| 48 Joyful, as a hero going to conquest. |
| 49 As truth's fiery reflection |
| 50 It smiles at the scientist. |
| 51 To virtue's steep hill |
| 52 It leads the sufferer on. |
| 53 Atop faith's lofty summit |
| 54 One sees its flags in the wind, |
| 55 Through the cracks of burst-open coffins, |
| 56 One sees it stand in the angels' chorus. |
| Chorus |
| 57 Endure courageously, millions! |
| 58 Endure for the better world! |
| 59 Above the starry canopy |
| 60 A great God will reward you. |
| 61 Gods one cannot ever repay, |
| 62 It is beautiful, though, to be like them. |
| 63 Sorrow and Poverty, come forth |
| 64 And rejoice with the Joyful ones. |
| 65 Anger and revenge be forgotten, |
| 66 Our deadly enemy be forgiven, |
| 67 Not one tear shall he shed anymore, |
| 68 No feeling of remorse shall pain him. |
| Chorus |
| 69 The account of our misdeeds be destroyed! |
| 70 Reconciled the entire world! |
| 71 Brothers, above the starry canopy |
| 72 God judges as we judged. |
| 73 Joy is bubbling in the glasses, |
| 74 Through the grapes' golden blood |
| 75 Cannibals drink gentleness, |
| 76 And despair drinks courage-- |
| 77 Brothers, fly from your seats, |
| 78 When the full rummer is going around, |
| 79 Let the foam gush up to heaven*: |
| 80 This glass to the good spirit. |
| Chorus |
| 81 He whom star clusters adore, |
| 82 He whom the Seraphs' hymn praises, |
| 83 This glass to him, the good spirit, |
| 84 Above the starry canopy! |
| 85 Resolve and courage for great suffering, |
| 86 Help there, where innocence weeps, |
| 87 Eternally may last all sworn Oaths, |
| 88 Truth towards friend and enemy, |
| 89 Men's pride before Kings' thrones-- |
| 90 Brothers, even it if meant our Life and blood, |
| 91 Give the crowns to those who earn them, |
| 92 Defeat to the pack of liars! |
| Chorus |
| 93 Close the holy circle tighter, |
| 94 Swear by this golden wine: |
| 95 To remain true to the Oath, |
| 96 Swear it by the Judge above the stars! |
| 97 Delivery from tyrants' chains, |
| 98 Generosity also towards the villain, |
| 99 Hope on the deathbeds, |
| 100 Mercy from the final judge! |
| 101 Also the dead shall live! |
| 102 Brothers, drink and chime in, |
| 103 All sinners shall be forgiven, |
| 104 And hell shall be no more. |
| Chorus |
| 105 A serene hour of farewell! |
| 106 Sweet rest in the shroud! |
| 107 Brothers--a mild sentence |
| 108 From the mouth of the final judge! |