| I have principles, | |
| I have plenty, you may choose -- | |
| the ones you like best. | |
| Ik heb principes, | |
| ik heb er genoeg, kies maar -- | Prinzipien, wähle aus -- |
| welke je leuk vindt. | welche du gern habst. |
Amsterdam, 2020-12-15
Those are my principles Marx, Groucho
"Those are my principles, and if you don't like them... well, I have others" (An old joke, later attributed to Groucho Marx)
Keyword: Ethics: practice
| I am not as wise | |
| as the best, but I'm better -- | |
| than stupid people. | |
| Ik ben niet zo wijs | |
| als de besten, maar beter -- | wie die Besten, nur besser -- |
| dan domme mensen. | als dumme Leute. |
Amsterdam, 2021-01-19
On the happy life (Lucius Annaeus Seneca)
58 Seneca, Lucius Annaeus
Dialogue "De vita beata"
Keyword: Wisdom
| Solidified void: | |
| mountains and hills, melted void: | |
| rivers, streams, and brooks. | |
| Gestolde leegte: | : |
| bergen, gesmolten leegte: | die Berge, und geschmolzen: |
| stromen en beken. | Flüsse und Bäche. |
Amsterdam, 2020-06-26
Rhapsody on Roaming the Heavenly Terrace Mountains (Sun Chuo)
350 Sun, Chuo
"You Tiantai shan fu"Terrace Mountains")
Keyword: Universe: energy
| My eyes are blurry, | |
| being old I am released -- | |
| from judging others. | |
| Mijn oude ogen | |
| zien wazig, ze verlossen -- | und verschwommen, erlösen -- |
| me van oordelen! | mich vom Urteilen! |
Amsterdam, 2020-10-11
My eyes suddenly start to fail (Yaochen Mei)
1060 Mei, Yaochen
Keyword: Old age: process
| Sell your cleverness | |
| for the messy confusion -- | |
| of wisdom of life. | |
| Durf je schranderheid | |
| te ruilen voor de warboel -- | Klugheit für die Verwirrung -- |
| van levenswijsheid. | der Lebensweisheit. |
Amsterdam, 2024-02-14
Sell your cleverness and buy bewilderment (Muhammad Rumi)
1250 Rumi, Mohamed
Doubled verse, from: Masnavi (Doubled verses), book IV, story 2
Keyword: Wisdom
| The heart as a drum, | |
| and the mouth as a trumpet: | |
| that's a human life. | |
| Het hart als trommel | , |
| en de mond als een trompet: | der Mund eine Trompete: |
| een mensenleven. | ein Menschenleben. |
Amsterdam, 2025-02-10
Thus have I rolled my life (Muso Soseki)
1351 Muso, Soseki
Poem by the Zen-monk Muso Soseki (1274-1351), included in the 1986 collection "Japanese Death Poems", compiled by Yoel Hoffmann: "Thus have I rolled my life throughout / inside and out, reclined, upright / What is all this? / A beating drum / a trumpets blare / No more"
Keywords: Life: lust (impulse), Human: mankind
| There is a chance to | |
| establish untruths, but truth -- | |
| is unprovable. | |
| Onwaarheden zijn | |
| soms vast te stellen, waarheid -- | man feststellen, die Wahrheit -- |
| is onbewijsbaar. | ist unbeweisbar. |
Amsterdam, 2024-07-01
On learned ignorance (Nicholas of Cusa)
1440 Cusanus, Nicolaus, Popper, Karl
Treatise "De docta ignorantia" (Nicholas of Cusa)
Study "Logik der Forschung" ("Logic of research", 1935, Karl Popper >> "The logic of scientific discovery", 1959), about falsifiability
Keywords: Reason: logic, Truth: concealed
| What is man, I ask | |
| You, and why then are You so -- | |
| concerned about us? | |
| Wat stelt de mens voor, | , |
| vraag ik U, waarom bent U -- | frag ich Sie, warum sind Sie -- |
| zo bezorgd om ons? | so besorgt um uns? |
Amsterdam, 2024-07-30
Let me alone, Lord (Cristóbal de Morales)
1528, Garbarek, Jan
A cappella song "Parce mihi Domine", opening of the "Officium defuntorum" ("Service of the Dead"), performed in 1993 by the Hilliard Ensemble (vocals) and Jan Garbarek (saxophone)
Keywords: Reason: critical, Bible
Composer: De Morales, Cristóbal
| We can indeed laugh | |
| at ourselves, the two of us -- | |
| if nobody knows. | |
| We kunnen lachen | |
| om onszelf, met zijn tweeën -- | über uns selbst, wir beide -- |
| als niemand het weet. | wenn es keiner weiß. |
Amsterdam, 2023-01-28
Letter (Karel V)
1550 Karel V
"Maria van Hongarije, regentes der Nederlanden: een politieke analyse op basis van haar regentschaps-ordonnanties en haar correspondentie met Karel V" ("Mary of Hungary, governour of the Netherlands: a political analysis based on her regencyordinances and her correspondence with Charles V", 1995, Laetitia Gorter-van Royen)
Emperor Charles V (Gent 1500-1558) writes to his sister Maria (Brussels 1505-1558): 'I'm sure you didn't write that without laughing, and I had to laugh too when I read it. [..] I am writing all this to you to laugh and to make a fool of ourselves, because I really need that.'
Keyword: Reason: discrimination
| I get nothing but | |
| misery for my merits -- | |
| Tears are all I have. | |
| Niets dan ellende | |
| voor mijn verdiensten, tranen -- | für meine Verdienste, mir -- |
| zijn al wat ik heb. | bleiben nur Tränen. |
Amsterdam, 2025-03-31
Flow my tears, fall from your springs (John Dowland)
1600 Dowland, John
Song (music 1596, 'Lachrimae pavane', for lute)
Keyword: Fate
| The universe holds | |
| me, I hold the universe -- | |
| with this very thought. | |
| Het heelal omvat | , |
| mij, ik omvat het heelal -- | ich fasse das Weltall mit -- |
| met een gedachte. | einem Gedanke. |
Amsterdam, 2022-12-16
Thoughts (Blaise Pascal)
1662 Pascal, Blaise
Par l'espace l'univers me comprend et m'engloutit comme un point; par la pensée je le comprends.
(Through space the universe comprehends me and swallows me up like a point; by thought I comprehend the universe.)
Keyword: Knowledge: thoughts
| The moon reflected, | |
| flowers floating in the wind: | |
| such are human lives. | |
| De maan weerspiegeld, | |
| een bloem zwevend in de wind: | eine verwehte Blume: |
| een mensenleven. | ein Menschenleben. |
Amsterdam, 2025-02-11
I was born into this world (Gizan Zenrai)
1878 Gizan, Zenrai
Poem by the Zen-monk Gizan Zenrai (1801-1878), included in the 1986 collection "Japanese Death Poems", compiled by Yoel Hoffmann: I was born into this world / I leave it at my death. / Into a thousand towns / My legs have carried me, / And countless homes - / What are all these? / A moon reflected in the water / A flower floating in the sky / Ho!
Keyword: Life: course (overview)
| He is worried, but | |
| together they are happy -- | |
| making plans and all. | |
| Hij heeft zorgen, maar | , |
| samen zijn ze wel gelukkig -- | aber sie schmieden Pläne -- |
| met al hun plannen. | Dann sind sie glücklich. |
Amsterdam, 2024-07-16
Footsteps of Fate (Louis Couperus)
1890 Couperus, Louis
Novel "Noodlot", chapter 3, § 8
Keyword: Wish (illusion)
| Novels are derived | |
| from people, who mould themselves -- | |
| upon characters. | |
| Romans zijn ontleend | |
| aan mensen, die zich vormen -- | auf Menschen, die sich bilden -- |
| naar personages. | nach Charakteren. |
Amsterdam, 2022-04-10
Life imitates art (Oscar Wilde)
1891 Wilde, Oscar
Role models
"Life imitates art far more than art imitates life" (1891, Oscar Wilde in "The decay of lying"; also: "Most people are other people. Their thoughts are someone else's opinions, their lives a mimicry, their passions a quotation", in his letter "De Profundis" to Bosie in 1897)
Keyword: Imitate
| Disillusionment: | |
| seeing the ridiculous -- | |
| ignoring beauty. | |
| Desillusie is: | : |
| het belachelijke zien -- | das Lächerliche sehen -- |
| schoonheid negeren. | Schönheit negieren. |
Amsterdam, 2024-07-03
The Hidden Force (Louis Couperus)
1900 Couperus, Louis
Novel "De stille kracht", chapter 2, § 1
Keywords: Expectation, Beauty: surroundings
| You don't talk about | |
| a patient, at most you say: | |
| it is a headache. | |
| Je praat niet over | |
| een patiënt, hoogstens zeg je -- | Patienten, höchstens sagt man: |
| dat hij hoofdpijn heeft. | sie haben Kopfweh. |
Amsterdam, 2024-07-03
The Hidden Force (Louis Couperus)
1900 Couperus, Louis
Novel "De stille kracht", chapter 2, § 3
Keyword: Privacy
| A fever wells up, | |
| like a heavy floral scent -- | |
| Intoxicating. | |
| Er welt een koorts op, | , |
| als een zware bloemengeur -- | wie ein schwerer Blumenduft -- |
| die je plots bedwelmt. | der einen berauscht. |
Amsterdam, 2024-07-04
The Hidden Force (Louis Couperus)
1900 Couperus, Louis
Novel "De stille kracht", chapter 3, § 2
Keyword: Feelings (undergo)
| She just watches it | |
| with indifference, smiling -- | |
| irritatingly. | |
| Onverschillig ziet | |
| zij het aan, en ze glimlacht -- | gleichgültig, und sie lächelt -- |
| tot vervelens toe. | bis zum Überdruss. |
Amsterdam, 2024-07-04
The Hidden Force (Louis Couperus)
1900 Couperus, Louis
Novel "De stille kracht", chapter 3, § 2
Keyword: Boredom: disinterest
| Submissive people | |
| often hide a hidden force -- | |
| An underground fire. | |
| Onderdanigheid | |
| verbergt vaak een stille kracht -- | verbirgt eine stille Kraft -- |
| Een ondergronds vuur. | Untergrundfeuer. |
Amsterdam, 2024-07-04
The Hidden Force (Louis Couperus)
1900 Couperus, Louis
Novel "De stille kracht", chapter 4, § 2
Keywords: Power: growth, Resistance
| Under the floral | |
| peace, the hidden force smoulders -- | |
| feeding on hatred. | |
| Onder de bloemen- | |
| vrede smeult de stille kracht -- | frieden schwelt die stille Kraft -- |
| zich voedend met haat. | und nährt sich vom Hass. |
Amsterdam, 2024-07-04
The Hidden Force (Louis Couperus)
1900 Couperus, Louis
Novel "De stille kracht", chapter 4, § 2
Keywords: Power: growth, Resistance
| Let us sing of life | |
| and of sorrow, let us toast -- | |
| to comfort ourselves. | |
| Laten we zingen | |
| over het leven, ons leed -- | singen, vom Kummer, lass uns -- |
| en toosten als troost. | anstoßen zum Trost. |
Amsterdam, 2022-03-15
The drinking song of earth's sorrow (Hans Bethge / Gustav Mahler)
1907 Bethge, Hans, Li, Bai
Old Chinese poem
1908, Gustav Mahler, based on the free version by Hans Bethge from 1907, after "Bei gexing" by Li Bai [701-762], in a 1705 collection
Keyword: Together: close relations
Composer: Mahler, Gustav
| I am tired, I long | |
| for warmth and a rest, for sleep -- | |
| the comfort of love. | |
| Ik ben moe, verlang | , |
| naar warmte en rust, naar slaap -- | ich sehne mich nach Wärme -- |
| de troost van liefde. | dem Trost der Liebe. |
Amsterdam, 2022-03-15
The solitary one in autumn (Hans Bethge / Gustav Mahler)
1907 Bethge, Hans, Qian, Qi
Old Chinese poem
1908, Gustav Mahler, based on the free version "Die Einsame im Herbst" by Hans Bethge from 1907, after "Xiao gu qiu ye zhang" by Qian Qi [710-782]
Keywords: Love: nourishes, Comfort (consolation)
Composer: Mahler, Gustav
| Glimmering beauty, | |
| clear and upside down, doubled -- | |
| in the little pond. | |
| Er schittert schoonheid, | , |
| ondersteboven, dubbel -- | auf dem Kopf, verdoppelt, da -- |
| in de parkvijver. | im kleinen Parkteich. |
Amsterdam, 2022-03-15
Of youth (Hans Bethge / Gustav Mahler)
1907 Bethge, Hans, Li, Bai
Old Chinese poem about friends in a porcelain pavillon in a pond
1908, Gustav Mahler, based on the free version "Der Pavillon aus Porzellan" by Hans Bethge from 1907, after "Yan tao jia tingzi" by Li Bai [701-762]
Keyword: Beauty: surroundings
Composer: Mahler, Gustav
| Girls tease each other, | |
| just to attract attention -- | |
| from the toughest boys. | |
| De meisjes plagen | |
| elkaar om op te vallen -- | sich, nur um aufzufallen -- |
| bij stoere jongens. | bei den harten Jungs. |
Amsterdam, 2022-03-15
Of beauty (Hans Bethge / Gustav Mahler)
1907 Bethge, Hans, Li, Bai
Old Chinese poem
1908, Gustav Mahler, based on the free version "Am Ufer" by Hans Bethge from 1907, after "Cai lian qu" by Li Bai [701-762]
Keyword: Teenager (youth)
Composer: Mahler, Gustav
| Let us just enjoy | |
| this late evening together -- | |
| After us the spring! | |
| Laten we samen | |
| van de avond genieten -- | mal zusammen genießen -- |
| Na ons de lente! | Nach uns der Frühling! |
Amsterdam, 2022-03-15
The farewell (Hans Bethge / Gustav Mahler)
1907 Bethge, Hans, Meng, Haoran & Wang, Wei
A final farewell
Old Chinese poem
1908, Gustav Mahler, based on the free version "In Erwartung des Freundes" by Hans Bethge from 1907, after "Su Ye shi shan fang" by Meng Haoran [690-740] and "Songbie" by Wang Wei [699-759]
Keyword: Contentment
Composer: Mahler, Gustav
| The sense of how large | |
| the universe is, makes man -- | |
| both little and great. | |
| Het besef hoe groot | |
| het heelal is, maakt de mens -- | das Weltall ist, macht uns so- |
| zowel klein als groot. | wohl klein als auch groß. |
Amsterdam, 2022-12-16
Solution: geography (Luigi Pirandello)
1920 Pirandello, Luigi, Pascal, Blaise
Story "Rimedio: la geografia", referring to Pascal's thought (1657-1662): Par l'espace l'univers me comprend et m'engloutit comme un point; par la pensée je le comprends. (Through space the universe comprehends me and swallows me up like a point; by thought I comprehend the universe.)
Keyword: Universe: all
| Then I realise: | |
| it was an attack, I didn't -- | |
| fall, I got a push. | |
| Ontsteld besef ik: | : |
| er is een aanslag gepleegd -- | es war ein Anschlag, kein Sturz -- |
| Ik viel door een duw. | nein, es war ein Stoß. |
Amsterdam, 2024-02-26
Easthouse's story (Belcampo)
1946 Belcampo
Story "Het verhaal van Oosterhuis" (collection "Nieuwe verhalen")
Keyword: Thinking (order)
| In the morning wind | |
| my thoughts are tinkling clearly -- | |
| like a carillon. | |
| In de ochtendwind | |
| tinkelen mijn gedachten -- | klingeln meine Gedanken -- |
| als een carillon. | wie ein Glockenspiel. |
Amsterdam, 2014-02-25
Carillon (M. Vasalis)
1954 Vasalis, M.
Poem from the collection "Vergezichten en gezichten"
Keywords: Thinking (clear), New: day / dawn
| On my desk, she lies | |
| sound asleep in the Basket -- | |
| with sutras: my cat. | |
| Op mijn werktafel | |
| ligt ze slapend in de Mand -- | herrlich auf meinem Schreibtisch -- |
| met soetras: mijn kat. | im Korb mit Sutras. |
Amsterdam, 2014-12-04
Sleeping on my desk (Jack Kerouac)
1968 Kerouac, Jack
Suttanta-pitaka/Suttapitaka (Basket of Discourse)
Poem: Sleeping on my desk / head on the sutras, / my cat. (collection "Some western haikus", published in 2003)
Keyword: Animals: cat
| The dog is running | |
| ahead of us, down the path -- | |
| barking his sea-bark. | |
| De hond puft niet meer, | , |
| hij rent vooruit, het pad af -- | er rennt voraus, und er bellt -- |
| en blaft zijn zeeblaf. | sein Meeresbellen. |
Terborg, 2021-08-06
The Nice and the Good (Iris Murdoch)
1968 Murdoch, Iris
Novel
Keyword: Joy
| Whatever happens, | |
| spouses do know the secret -- | |
| of fitting it in. | |
| Wat er ook gebeurt, | , |
| echtgenoten kunnen het -- | Ehepartner können es -- |
| altijd inpassen. | immer einpassen. |
Terborg, 2021-08-06
The Nice and the Good (Iris Murdoch)
1968 Murdoch, Iris
Novel
Keyword: Love: relationship (lively)
| Living gardens are | |
| simultaneously their own -- | |
| graveyards of dead plants. | |
| Een levende tuin | , |
| is zijn eigen begraafplaats -- | ist sein eigener Friedhof -- |
| van dode planten. | verwelkter Pflanzen. |
Amsterdam, 2026-06-20
Being there (Jerzy Kosinski)
1970 Kosinski, Jerzy
Novel "Wystarczy by?" (1970, "It's enough to be", translation "Being there", 1971), chapter 1
The novel was beautifully adapted into a film by Hal Ashby (1979, "Being there"), starring Peter Sellers
Keywords: Nature: garden, park, Death: and life
| Recession is rest, | |
| followed by growth, provided -- | |
| the roots are healthy. | |
| Recessie is rust, | , |
| daarna komt weer groei, mits de -- | und danach: Wachstum, wenn die -- |
| wortels gezond zijn. | Wurzeln gesund sind. |
Amsterdam, 2026-06-20
Being there (Jerzy Kosinski)
1970 Kosinski, Jerzy
Novel "Wystarczy by?" (1970, "It's enough to be", translation "Being there", 1971), chapter 4
The novel was beautifully adapted into a film by Hal Ashby (1979, "Being there"), starring Peter Sellers
Keyword: Rest (recovery)
| The diplomats' chairs | |
| are close together, almost -- | |
| touching each other. | |
| De stoelen van de | |
| diplomaten staan bijna -- | sitzen dicht beieinander -- |
| tegen elkaar aan. | berühren sich fast. |
Amsterdam, 2026-06-20
Being there (Jerzy Kosinski)
1970 Kosinski, Jerzy
Novel "Wystarczy by?" (1970, "It's enough to be", translation "Being there", 1971), chapter 5
The novel was beautifully adapted into a film by Hal Ashby (1979, "Being there"), starring Peter Sellers
Keyword: Communication (conversation)
| I'm always switching | |
| on my TV, to a place -- | |
| where I feel at home. | |
| Ik schakel steeds door | |
| op mijn tv, naar een plek -- | zappe ich, bis ich mich wie -- |
| waar ik me thuis voel. | zu Hause fühle. |
Amsterdam, 2026-06-20
Being there (Jerzy Kosinski)
1970 Kosinski, Jerzy
Novel "Wystarczy by?" (1970, "It's enough to be", translation "Being there", 1971), chapter 1
The novel was beautifully adapted into a film by Hal Ashby (1979, "Being there"), starring Peter Sellers
Keywords: World(view), Identity: environment
| The world's familiar | |
| to me, it does look so much -- | |
| like television. | |
| De wereld komt me | |
| bekend voor, zozeer lijkt ze -- | so vertraut vor, so ähnlich -- |
| op televisie. | wie im Fernsehen. |
Amsterdam, 2026-06-20
Being there (Jerzy Kosinski)
1970 Kosinski, Jerzy
Novel "Wystarczy by?" (1970, "It's enough to be", translation "Being there", 1971), chapter 3
The novel was beautifully adapted into a film by Hal Ashby (1979, "Being there"), starring Peter Sellers
Keywords: World(view), Identity: environment
| Can they who see me | |
| never know more about me -- | |
| than I about them? | |
| Kan wie mij ziet nooit | |
| meer van mij weten dan ik -- | sieht, mehr über mich wissen -- |
| van hen zie en weet? | als ich über ihn? |
Amsterdam, 2026-06-20
Being there (Jerzy Kosinski)
1970 Kosinski, Jerzy
Novel "Wystarczy by?" (1970, "It's enough to be", translation "Being there", 1971), chapter 3
The novel was beautifully adapted into a film by Hal Ashby (1979, "Being there"), starring Peter Sellers
Keywords: Identity: being seen, Privacy
| I am not afraid | |
| of anything, I just wait -- | |
| to see how things go. | |
| Ik ben nergens bang | |
| voor, ik wacht gewoon maar af -- | Angst, ich warte einfach ab -- |
| hoe het verder gaat. | wie es weiter geht. |
Amsterdam, 2026-06-20
Being there (Jerzy Kosinski)
1970 Kosinski, Jerzy
Novel "Wystarczy by?" (1970, "It's enough to be", translation "Being there", 1971), chapter 3
The novel was beautifully adapted into a film by Hal Ashby (1979, "Being there"), starring Peter Sellers
Keywords: Waiting (to see), Passivity: no conflict
| Gardeners, that is | |
| typically who we are -- | |
| when we do business. | |
| Tuinmannen, precies | |
| dat zijn wij ten voeten uit -- | sind Leute wie wir, wenn wir -- |
| als we zaken doen. | Geschäfte machen. |
Amsterdam, 2026-06-20
Being there (Jerzy Kosinski)
1970 Kosinski, Jerzy
Novel "Wystarczy by?" (1970, "It's enough to be", translation "Being there", 1971), chapter 3
The novel was beautifully adapted into a film by Hal Ashby (1979, "Being there"), starring Peter Sellers
Keywords: Trade, Capitalism
| Inflation will prune | |
| away all dead savings to -- | |
| enable new growth. | |
| De inflatie snoeit | |
| al het dode spaargeld weg -- | die toten Ersparnisse -- |
| voor een nieuwe groei. | für neues Wachstum. |
Amsterdam, 2026-06-20
Being there (Jerzy Kosinski)
1970 Kosinski, Jerzy
Novel "Wystarczy by?" (1970, "It's enough to be", translation "Being there", 1971), chapter 4
The novel was beautifully adapted into a film by Hal Ashby (1979, "Being there"), starring Peter Sellers
Keywords: Consume, Economy
| He is the top man, | |
| he does not read newspapers -- | |
| he watches TV. | |
| Hij is de topman, | , |
| hij leest geen kranten, hij kijkt -- | er liest keine Zeitungen -- |
| veel liever tv. | er sieht lieber fern. |
Amsterdam, 2026-06-20
Being there (Jerzy Kosinski)
1970 Kosinski, Jerzy
Novel "Wystarczy by?" (1970, "It's enough to be", translation "Being there", 1971), chapter 5
The novel was beautifully adapted into a film by Hal Ashby (1979, "Being there"), starring Peter Sellers
Keywords: News, World(view)
| Mind the tasty looks, | |
| wait a while before you bite -- | |
| a bread or a stone. | |
| Als iets lekker lijkt, | , |
| wacht dan even voor je hapt -- | soll warten, bevor du beißt -- |
| in brood of in steen. | in Brot oder Stein. |
Amsterdam, 2020-06-11
Snow (Anne Sexton)
1975 Sexton, Anne
Collection "The Awful Rowing Toward God"
Keyword: Reason: discrimination
| You know the feeling | |
| of not belonging, being -- | |
| different, a guest. | |
| Iedereen kent het | |
| gevoel: er niet bijhoren -- | nicht dazuzugehören -- |
| anders zijn, een gast. | anders zu sein, Gast. |
Amsterdam, 2021-11-30
Twice a Woman (Harry Mulisch)
1975 Mulisch, Harry
Novel "Twee vrouwen"
Keywords: Foreigners: guest, Human: individuals
| One day you will learn | |
| everything you pursued was -- | |
| never possible. | |
| Later ontdek je | |
| alles wat je nastreefde -- | alles, was man verfolgt hat -- |
| was nooit mogelijk. | war niemals möglich. |
Amsterdam, 2023-07-27
For Sheridan (Robert Lowell)
1977 Lowell, Robert
Poem (collection "Day by Day")
Keyword: Body: and mind
| Do I not matter, | |
| am I for free, not needed -- | |
| not even wanted? | |
| Ben ik een bijzaak | , |
| die niets kost, niet nodig is -- | kostenlos und unnötig -- |
| niet eens gewenst is? | nicht einmal gewollt? |
Amsterdam, 2024-10-24
The Allfornothing (Hauser Orkater)
1979 Hauser Orkater
Song "Der Ganzumsonst" (album "Zie de mannen vallen")
Keyword: Together: contribution / social
| Some non-believers | |
| don't find it so difficult: | |
| there is one Gollah! | |
| Ongelovigen | |
| vinden het niet zo moeilijk: | finden es nicht so schwer: es -- |
| er is één Gollah! | gibt éinen Gollah! |
Amsterdam, 2024-11-24
Van Kooten en De Bie
1986 Van Kooten, Kees, De Bie, Wim
Relisingers "The Positivos" promote the 'Chrislam' of 'Gollah' (March 16th, 1986, in the TV-show "Van Kooten en De Bie")
Keyword: Religion: God(s)
| Happiness: a word | |
| of adults, it's a word that -- | |
| hinders happiness. | |
| Geluk is een woord | |
| van volwassenen, het staat -- | Erwachsene, und es steht -- |
| geluk in de weg. | ihrem Glück im Weg. |
Amsterdam, 2024-11-20
the Passion (Jeanette Winterson)
1987 Winterson, Jeanette
Novel, chapter 1 the Emperor
Keyword: Happiness (need)
| We are given tongs | |
| for the shellfish, like those used -- | |
| by a torturer. | |
| Voor de schaaldieren | |
| krijgen we tangen, zoals -- | Schalentiere sehen aus -- |
| voor een marteling. | wie Folterzangen. |
Amsterdam, 2026-06-18
Possession, A Romance (A.S. Byatt)
1990 Byatt, A.S.
Novel, chapter 23
Keyword: Animals: lobster / crab
| Eating seafood: not | |
| that much meat, but a plate full -- | |
| of shells, heads, and legs. | |
| Zeedieren eten: | |
| niet veel vlees, maar een bord vol -- | Fleisch, und ein Teller voller -- |
| schalen en poten. | Schalen und Beine. |
Amsterdam, 2026-06-18
Possession, A Romance (A.S. Byatt)
1990 Byatt, A.S.
Novel, chapter 23
Keyword: Animals: lobster / crab
| Will it start soon? Or | |
| has it already started? | |
| Is it war right now? | |
| Begint het al gauw? | ? |
| Of is het al begonnen? | Hat es bereits begonnen? |
| Is het al oorlog? | Ist vielleicht schon Krieg? |
Amsterdam, 2025-03-24
Nightfather (Carl Friedman)
1991 Friedman, Carl
Novella "Tralievader" (translation 1994), chapter 'Greuelmärchen' (Atrocity story)
Keywords: Thinking (clear), Peace: and war
| We have a cat, that's | |
| more meat than a canary -- | |
| if there'll be war here. | |
| Wij hebben een kat: | |
| meer vlees dan een kanarie -- | gibt mehr Fleisch als ein Girlitz -- |
| als er oorlog komt. | wenn es zum Krieg kommt. |
Amsterdam, 2025-03-24
Nightfather (Carl Friedman)
1991 Friedman, Carl
Novella "Tralievader" (translation 1994), chapter 'Greuelmärchen' (Atrocity story)
Keywords: Child: thinking, Animals: cat
| He is back, being | |
| a foreigner in the land -- | |
| he longed for so much. | |
| Hij kwam terug, maar | , |
| is een vreemde in het land -- | aber ein Fremder im Land -- |
| van zijn verlangen. | seines Verlangens. |
Amsterdam, 2025-03-24
Nightfather (Carl Friedman)
1991 Friedman, Carl
Novella "Tralievader" (translation 1994), chapter 'Vreemdeling' (Foreigner) - [1] Odysseus, [2] people who survived a German Nazi concentration camp, [3] ...
Keyword: Home: displaced
| Out of my nightmare, | |
| I wake up in the anxious -- | |
| dream that is the world. | |
| Uit mijn nachtmerrie | |
| ontwaak ik in de angstdroom -- | erwache ich im Angsttraum -- |
| die de wereld is. | der meine Welt ist. |
Amsterdam, 2023-10-28
Lighthousekeeping (Jeanette Winterson)
2004 Winterson, Jeanette
Novel, chapter Tenant of the sun
Keyword: Awareness: reality
| And another day | |
| I stayed ahead of my death -- | |
| Now I have to sleep. | |
| Ook vandaag ben ik | |
| mijn dood weer voorgebleven -- | meinem Tod vorgeblieben -- |
| Nu moet ik slapen. | Jetzt muss ich schlafen. |
Amsterdam, 2023-02-02
Shaft (Hans Groenewegen)
2005 Groenewegen, Hans
Poem "Schacht" (collection "en gingen uit sterven")
Keywords: Awareness: volatile / fragments, Sleep
| Thoughts are free, even | |
| insusceptible to lies -- | |
| about obvious facts. | |
| Gedachten zijn vrij, | , |
| zelfs onvatbaar voor leugens -- | nicht anfällig für Lügen -- |
| over de feiten. | über die Fakten. |
Amsterdam, 2021-04-29
Homecoming: a novel (Bernhard Schlink)
2006 Schlink, Bernhard
Novel "Die Heimkehr"
"Die Gedanken sind frei" ("Thoughts are free", 1780, with music in the "Lieder der Brienzer Mädchen" from 1800)
Keyword: Freedom: mental
| The tension is gone: | |
| it's important, or it's not -- | |
| and now it comes out. | |
| De spanning is weg: | : |
| het is belangrijk, of niet -- | es ist wichtig, oder nicht -- |
| en nu komt dat uit. | und jetzt zeigt sich das. |
Amsterdam, 2023-12-18
Perfect silence (Thomas Verbogt)
2011 Verbogt, Thomas
Novel "Perfecte stilte", chapter A contrived thought
Keyword: Life: course (overview)
| Straight stems in the vase, | |
| and their full flowers are white -- | |
| coals in the fireplace. | |
| Rechte stelen in | , |
| de vaas, hun bloemen witte -- | und ihre Blumen weiße -- |
| kolen in de haard. | Kohlen im Kamin. |
Amsterdam, 2025-06-05
Why Be Happy When You Could Be Normal? (Jeanette Winterson)
2011 Winterson, Jeanette
Autobiography (normal means: heterosexual), chapter 8, The Apocalypse
Keyword: Desire (powerlessness)
| Hope is not purely | |
| positive, because it goes -- | |
| hand in hand with fear. | |
| Hoop is niet zuiver | |
| positief, hij gaat helaas -- | positiv, sie geht leider -- |
| gelijk op met angst. | oft mit Angst einher. |
Amsterdam, 2025-05-15
You now (Griet Op de Beeck)
2016 Op de Beeck, Griet
Short stories "Gij nu", story 'zijn familie geloofde heilig dat doen alsof eigenlijk ook een kunst was' ('his family firmly believed that pretending was actually an art too'), chapter Three
Keyword: Hope (passive)
| That man over there: | |
| daddy, whom we love a lot -- | |
| is a bit crazy. | |
| Die man daar: papa, | , |
| van wie we heel veel houden -- | den wir sehr lieben, na, er -- |
| is een beetje gek. | ist etwas verrückt. |
Amsterdam, 2021-10-11
Maintenance of the senses (Franco Faggiani)
2018 Faggiani, Franco
Novel "La manutenzione dei sensi"
Keyword: Parents: father(hood)
| On the mountain road, | |
| the moon hops along with me -- | |
| valley to valley. | |
| Op de bergweg hupt | |
| de volle maan met me mee -- | hüpft der Vollmond mir voraus -- |
| dal na dal na dal. | Tal nach Tal nach Tal. |
Amsterdam, 2021-10-12
Maintenance of the senses (Franco Faggiani)
2018 Faggiani, Franco
Novel "La manutenzione dei sensi"
Keyword: Moon
| As old as I am, | |
| there is not enough time to -- | |
| pretend anymore. | |
| Zo oud als ik ben | , |
| is er niet genoeg tijd meer -- | bleibt mir nicht mehr genug Zeit -- |
| om te doen alsof. | so zu tun, als ob. |
Amsterdam, 2025-02-09
Considering the facts (Griet Op de Beeck)
2018 Op de Beeck, Griet
Novella "Gezien de feiten", chapter 8
Keyword: Time: lifetime
| Do pretend it is | |
| normal, yes, very normal -- | |
| it ís, all of it. | |
| Ja, doe maar alsof | |
| het gewoon is, heel gewoon -- | es normal, ja, ganz normal -- |
| ís het, allemaal. | ist es alles, immer. |
Amsterdam, 2020-06-26
People (Pieter de Bruijn Kops)
2019 De Bruijn Kops, Pieter
Poem "De mensen" (collection "De minderweter")
Keyword: World(view)
| Can people be smart | |
| enough to truly judge -- | |
| whether they believe? | |
| Zijn mensen wel slim | |
| genoeg om vast te stellen -- | genug, um zu verstehen -- |
| of ze geloven? | ob sie echt glauben? |
Amsterdam, 2023-01-27
Days like grass (Jens Christian Grøndahl)
2020 Grøndahl, Jens Christian
Piety
Story "Dage som græs" (collection "Dage som græs")
Keywords: Religion: belief, Self-knowledge (vague)
| God is a nuisance: | |
| He is constantly present -- | |
| but always sleeping. | |
| God geeft overlast: | , |
| Hij is altijd aanwezig -- | immer ist Er anwesend -- |
| en blijft maar slapen. | immer schläft er nur. |
Amsterdam, 2021-06-18
God among people (Toon Tellegen)
2021 Tellegen, Toon
"God onder de mensen"
Keyword: Religion: God(s)
| I feel so lonely | |
| that I could be anywhere -- | |
| and nowhere, so free. | |
| Ik voel me eenzaam, | , |
| zou overal en nergens -- | ich könnte überall sein -- |
| kunnen zijn, zo vrij. | und nirgends, so frei. |
Amsterdam, 2022-06-10
All the heaven you need (Franco Faggiani)
2022 Faggiani, Franco
Novel "Tutto il cielo che serve"
Keyword: Alone: lonely
| A grand scenery, | |
| it makes my presence smaller -- | |
| and also my thoughts. | |
| Het grootse landschap | |
| verkleint mijn aanwezigheid -- | schrumpft meine Anwesenheit -- |
| en mijn gedachten. | und auch mein Denken. |
Amsterdam, 2022-06-11
All the heaven you need (Franco Faggiani)
2022 Faggiani, Franco
Novel "Tutto il cielo che serve", page 175
Keywords: Earth: mother, Nature: landscape
| Mountains around me, | |
| silence, the space, and the wind -- | |
| that I can be here. | |
| Bergen om me heen, | , |
| stilte, de ruimte, de wind -- | Stille, der Raum, und der Wind -- |
| die ik hier kan zijn. | den ich hier sein kann. |
Amsterdam, 2022-06-12
All the heaven you need (Franco Faggiani)
2022 Faggiani, Franco
Novel "Tutto il cielo che serve" (end)
Keywords: Freedom: mental, Space
| High in the mountains | |
| there is plenty of heaven -- | |
| to make you happy. | |
| Hoog in de bergen | |
| is er heel de hemel om -- | gibt es den ganzen Himmel -- |
| gelukkig te zijn. | um glücklich zu sein. |
Amsterdam, 2022-06-12
All the heaven you need (Franco Faggiani)
2022 Faggiani, Franco
Novel "Tutto il cielo che serve" (end)
Keyword: Happiness (relaxation)
| It's never about | |
| first this and then that, a truth -- | |
| is a coherence. | |
| Het gaat nooit om eerst | |
| dit en toen dat, een waarheid -- | und dann, eine Wahrheit ist -- |
| is een samenhang. | ein Zusammenhang. |
Amsterdam, 2023-12-12
The event (Peter Terrin)
2022 Terrin, Peter
Novel "De gebeurtenis", chapter Juliette (2) #1
Keyword: Truth: coherence
| Women receive less | |
| respect from many men than -- | |
| from wild animals. | |
| Een vrouw krijgt van veel | : |
| mannen minder respect dan -- | bei Männern oft geringer -- |
| van wilde dieren. | als bei Wildtieren. |
Amsterdam, 2023-09-17
The cloud inventory (Franco Faggiani)
2023 Faggiani, Franco
Novel "L'inventario delle nuvole", § 2
Keyword: Equality: women
| I know what I want, | |
| so that's why I take action -- | |
| with thinking glasses. | |
| Ik weet wat ik wil, | , |
| daarom kom ik in actie -- | genau deshalb handle ich -- |
| met mijn denkbril op. | nur mit Denkbrille. |
Amsterdam, 2024-07-03
Salmon pink ensemble (Marcel van Roosmalen)
2024 Van Roosmalen, Marcel
Column "Zalmroze ensemble", in the NRC of July 3rd, 2024
Keyword: Thinking (order)
| The dark night, full of | |
| dark dreams, which lasts so long, may -- | |
| last even longer. | |
| De donkere nacht, | |
| die zo lang duurt, zal misschien -- | so lange dauert, könnte -- |
| nog langer duren. | noch länger dauern. |
Amsterdam, 2024-10-05
Long Dark Night (Nick Cave)
2024 Cave, Nick
Song, Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds, album "Wild God"
Keyword: Depression (gloom)
| Humanity will | |
| end. That's not a prediction -- | |
| It is happening. | |
| Het einde van de | |
| mensheid is geen voorspelling -- | heit: keine Vorhersage, |
| Het gebeurt gewoon. | es passiert einfach. |
Amsterdam, 2025-09-28
Interview with Midas Dekkers
2025 Dekkers, Midas
Interview by Anne Dohmen, in the NRC of September 27th, 2025 - "I don't have to predict the end times, it will happen automatically" (long-term perspective)
Keywords: Humanity, Bible
