# German opera translation

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/german-opera-translation/710114>\
**Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\
**Created:** [January 18, 2015, 12:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/german-opera-translation/710114 "2015-01-18T00:41:27Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 6\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\
**Post date:** [January 18, 2015, 12:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/german-opera-translation/710114/1 "2015-01-18T00:41:27Z")

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I am home alone and listening to Der Ring das Niebelungen.  
From Die Walkure Google translate fails me with  
ich lustige lass dich im stich  
“I am happy to leave you in the lurch”?

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**Author:** ![Lamia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Lamia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamia)\
**Post date:** [January 18, 2015, 12:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/german-opera-translation/710114/2 "2015-01-18T00:59:39Z")

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My German isn’t very good, but that looks right to me. I found [this libretto with an English translation](https://books.google.com/books?id=cx3_55DeAIAC&lpg=PA97&dq=%22ich%20lustige%20lass%20dich%20im%20stich%22&pg=PA97#v=onepage&q&f=false) on Google Books, which translates the line as “I’m happy to leave it to you.”

You actually got better results with Google Translate than I did just now, it’s telling me the line means “Funny I let you down”! “Lustig” does usually mean “humorous”, but it can also mean “enjoyable”.

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**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\
**Post date:** [January 18, 2015, 1:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/german-opera-translation/710114/3 "2015-01-18T01:30:12Z")

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Thanks!  
I had an RIAA recording of the Ring, by Radio Italy, where Albrec’s literal “I tremble at heart, warblings so wonderous to hear” was translated as “I have heart attacks when you say things like that.” 🙂

Thanks again.

Wotan has just finished his 45 minute “Why Siegmund has to croak”, AKA “Last Time on Der Ring Das Niebelung.”

🙂

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**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\
**Post date:** [January 18, 2015, 1:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/german-opera-translation/710114/4 "2015-01-18T01:34:02Z")

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Thanks again, Lamia. I had a hard bound libretto that I lost in a fire. This is just as poetic!  
Thanks! 🙂

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**Author:** ![Oukile](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/13edae/32.png) [@Oukile](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oukile)\
**Post date:** [January 19, 2015, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/german-opera-translation/710114/5 "2015-01-19T21:21:52Z")

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[You’ll find plenty of Wagner libretti here](http://www.rwagner.net/e-t-opere.html)

[QUOTE=Brunhilde]  
I prefer not to engage  
in skirmishes like this,  
much as I love bold  
men’s battles.  
So see how you survive the storm.  
I am glad to leave you in the lurch.  
[/QUOTE]

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**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\
**Post date:** [January 19, 2015, 10:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/german-opera-translation/710114/6 "2015-01-19T22:09:20Z")

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> [@Oukile](#):
>
> [You’ll find plenty of Wagner libretti here](http://www.rwagner.net/e-t-opere.html)

Thanks, Oukile.  
Mime has taken Siegfried to meet Fafner. 🙂