Night
When I have sat at some carouse.Where each to each his brag allows,And many a comrade praised to meHis pink of girls right lustily,With brimming glass that spilled the toast,And elbows planted as in boast:I sat in unconcerned repose,And heard the swagger as it rose.And stroking then my beard, I’d say,Smiling, the bumper in my hand:“Each well enough in her own way.But is there one in all the landLike sister Margaret, good as gold,—One that to her can a candle hold?”Cling! clang! “Here’s to her!” went aroundThe board: “He speaks the truth!” cried some;“In her the flower o’ the sex is found!”And all the swaggerers were dumb.And now!—I could tear my hair with vexation.And dash out my brains in desperation!With turned-up nose each scamp may face me,With sneers and stinging taunts disgrace me,And, like a bankrupt debtor sitting,A chance-dropped word may set me sweating!Yet, though I thresh them all together,I cannot call them liars, either.
But what comes sneaking, there, to view?If I mistake not, there are two.If he’s one, let me at him drive!He shall not leave the spot alive.
How from the window of the sacristyUpward th’eternal lamp sends forth a glimmer,That, lessening side-wards, fainter grows and dimmer,Till darkness closes from the sky!The shadows thus within my bosom gather.
I’m like a sentimental tom-cat, rather,That round the tall fire-ladders sweeps,And stealthy, then, along the coping creeps:Quite virtuous, withal, I come,A little thievish and a little frolicsome.I feel in every limb the presageForerunning the grand Walpurgis-Night:Day after to-morrow brings its message,And one keeps watch then with delight.
Meanwhile, may not the treasure risen be,Which there, behind, I glimmering see?
Shalt soon experience the pleasure,To lift the kettle with its treasure.I lately gave therein a squint—Saw splendid lion-dollars in ’t.
Not even a jewel, not a ring,To deck therewith my darling girl?
I saw, among the rest, a thingThat seemed to be a chain of pearl.
That’s well, indeed! For painful is itTo bring no gift when her I visit.
Thou shouldst not find it so annoying,Without return to be enjoying.Now, while the sky leads forth its starry throng,Thou’lt hear a masterpiece, no work completer:I’ll sing her, first, a moral song,The surer, afterwards, to cheat her.
What dost thou hereIn daybreak clear,Kathrina dear,Before thy lover’s door?Beware! the bladeLets in a maid.That out a maidDeparteth nevermore!
The coaxing shunOf such an one!When once ’tis doneGood-night to thee, poor thing!Love’s time is brief:Unto no thiefBe warm and lief,But with the wedding-ring!
Whom wilt thou lure? God’s-element!Rat-catching piper, thou!—perdition!To the Devil, first, the instrument!To the Devil, then, the curst musician!
Sir Doctor, don’t retreat, I pray!Stand by: I’ll lead, if you’ll but tarry:Out with your spit, without delay!You’ve but to lunge, and I will parry.
Why not? ’tis light.
I think the Devil must fight!How is it, then? my hand’s already lame:
Now is the lubber tame!But come, away! ’Tis time for us to fly;For there arises now a murderous cry.With the police ’twere easy to compound it,But here the penal court will sift and sound it.
I’m dying! That is quickly said,And quicker yet ’tis done.Why howl, you women there? Instead,Come here and listen, every one!
My Margaret, see! still young thou art,But not the least bit shrewd or smart,Thy business thus to slight:So this advice I bid thee heed—Now that thou art a whore indeed,Why, be one then, outright!
In this game let our Lord God be!What’s done’s already done, alas!What follows it, must come to pass.With one begin’st thou secretly,Then soon will others come to thee,And when a dozen thee have known,Thou’rt also free to all the town.When Shame is born and first appears,She is in secret brought to light,And then they draw the veil of nightOver her head and ears;Her life, in fact, they’re loath to spare her.But let her growth and strength display,She walks abroad unveiled by day,Yet is not grown a whit the fairer.The uglier she is to sight,The more she seeks the day’s broad light.The time I verily can discernWhen all the honest folk will turnFrom thee, thou jade! and seek protectionAs from a corpse that breeds infection.Thy guilty heart shall then dismay thee.When they but look thee in the face:—Shalt not in a golden chain array thee,Nor at the altar take thy place!Shalt not, in lace and ribbons flowing,Make merry when the dance is going!But in some corner, woe betide thee!Among the beggars and cripples hide thee;And so, though even God forgive,On earth a damned existence live!
Commend your soul to God for pardon,That you your heart with slander harden!
Thou pimp most infamous, be still!Could I thy withered body kill,’Twould bring, for all my sinful pleasure,Forgiveness in the richest measure.
I tell thee, from thy tears refrain!When thou from honor didst departIt stabbed me to the very heart.Now through the slumber of the graveI go to God as a soldier brave.
Words in this poem 38
- lustily adv.
- In a lusty or vigorous manner.
- brimming a.
- Full to the brim; overflowing.
- swagger v. i.
- To walk with a swaying motion; hence, to walk and act in a pompous, consequential manner. [Freq. of swag.]
- stroking n.
- The act of rubbing gently with the hand, or of smoothing; a stroke.
- bumper n.
- A cup or glass filled to the brim, or till the liquor runs over, particularly in drinking a health or toast. [A corruption of bumbard, bombard, a large drinking vessel.]
- clang v. t.
- To strike together so as to produce a ringing metallic sound. [L. clangere; akin to Gr. clank.]
- went n.
- Course; way; path; journey; direction.
- desperation n.
- The act of despairing or becoming desperate; a giving up of hope. [L. desperatio: cf. OF. desperation.]
- scamp n.
- A rascal; a swindler; a rogue. De Quincey. [OF. escamper to run away, to make one's escape. originally, one who runs away, a fugitive, a vagabond. See Scamper.]
- thresh v. t.
- To beat out grain from, as straw or husks; to beat the straw or husk of (grain) with a flail; to beat off, as the kernels of grain; as, to thrash wheat, rye, or oats; to thrash over the old straw. [OE. , , to beat, AS. , ; akin to D. dorschen, OD. derschen, G. dreschen, OHG. dreskan, Icel. , Sw. tröska, Dan. tærske, Goth. , Lith. traszketi to rattle, Russ.]
- shall v. i.
- To owe; to be under obligation for. [OE. shal, schal, imp. sholde, scholde, AS. scal, sceal, I am obliged, imp. scolde, sceolde, inf. sculan; akin to OS. skulan, pres. skal, imp. skolda, D. zullen,]
- sacristy n.
- A apartment in a church where the sacred utensils, vestments, etc., are kept; a vestry. [F. sacristie, LL. sacristia, fr. L. sacer. See Sacred.]
- sentimental a.
- Having, expressing, or containing a sentiment or sentiments; abounding with moral reflections; containing a moral reflection; didactic. [Cf. F. sentimental.]
- coping n.
- The highest or covering course of masonry in a wall, often with sloping edges to carry off water; -- sometimes called capping. Gwill. [See Cope, n.]
- virtuous a.
- Possessing or exhibiting virtue. Specifically: -- (a) Exhibiting manly courage and strength; valorous; valiant; brave. [OE. vertuous, OF. vertuos, vertuous, F. vertueux, fr. L. Virtuous. See Virtue, and cf. Virtuoso.]
- withal adv.
- With this; with that. [With + all.]
- meanwhile n.
- The intervening time; as, in the meantime (or mean time).
- shalt
- 2d per. sing. of Shall.
- kettle n.
- A metallic vessel, with a wide mouth, often without a cover, used for heating and boiling water or other liguids. Kettle pins, ninepins; skittles. Shelton. [OE. ketel; cf. AS. cetel, cetil, cytel; akin to D. kjedel, G. kessel, OHG. chezzil, Icel. ketill, SW. kittel, Dan. kjedel, Goth. katils; all perh. fr. L. catill]
- therewith adv.
- With that or this.
- starry a.
- Abounding with stars; adorned with stars.
- masterpiece n.
- Anything done or made with extraordinary skill; a capital performance; a chef-d'oeuvre; a supreme achievement.
- daybreak n.
- The time of the first appearance of light in the morning.
- beware v. t.
- To avoid; to take care of; to have a care for.
- nevermore adv.
- Never again; at no time hereafter. Testament of Love. Tyndale.
- perdition n.
- Entire loss; utter destruction; ruin; esp., the utter loss of the soul, or of final happiness in a future state; future misery or eternal death. [F., fr. L. perditio, fr. perdere, perditum, to ruin, to lose; per (cf. Skr. para away) + -dere (only in comp.) to put; akin to Gr. do. See Do.]
- curst a.
- Froward; malignant; mischievous; malicious; snarling. [SeeCurse.]
- shrewd a.
- Inclining to shrew; disposing to curse or scold; hence, vicious; malicious; evil; wicked; mischievous; vexatious; rough; unfair; shrewish. [Originally the p. p. of shrew, v.t.]
- whore n.
- A woman who practices unlawful sexual commerce with men, especially one who prostitutes her body for hire; a prostitute; a harlot. Wyclif. [OE. hore, AS. h; akin to D. hoer, hoere, G. hure, OHG. huora, huorra, Icel. h, Dan. hore, Sw. hora, Goth. h an adulterer, AS. h adultery, OHG. huor, and probabl]
- outright adv.
- Immediately; without delay; at once; as, he was killed outright.
- loath a.
- Hateful; odious; disliked. [OE. looth, loth, AS. la hostile, odious; akin to OS. l, G. leid, Icel. lei, Sw. led, G. leiden to suffer, OHG. lidan to suffer, go, cf. AS. li to go, Goth. leip]
- whit n.
- The smallest part or particle imaginable; a bit; a jot; an iota; -- generally used in an adverbial phrase in a negative sentence. [OE. wight, wiht, AS. wiht a creature, a thing. See Wight, and cf. Aught, Naught.]
- folk n.
- In Anglo-Saxon times, the people of a group of townships or villages; a community; a tribe. [AS. folc; akin to D. volk, OS. & OHG. folk, G. volk, Icel. f, Sw. & Dan. folk, Lith. pulkas crowd, and perh. to E. follow.]
- corpse n.
- A human body in general, whether living or dead; -- sometimes contemptuosly. [OF. cors (sometimes written corps), F. corps, L. corpus; akin to AS. hrif womb. See Midriff, and cf. Corse, Corselet, Corps, Cuerpo.]
- betide v. t.
- To happen to; to befall; to come to ; as, woe betide the wanderer. [OE. bitiden; pref. bi-, be- + tiden, fr. AS. tidan, to happen, fr. tid time. See Tide.]
- damned a.
- Sentenced to punishment in a future state; condemned; consigned to perdition.
- didst
- , the 2d pers. sing. imp. of Do.
- depart v. i.
- To part; to divide; to separate. [OE. departen to divide, part, depart, F. départir to divide, distribute, se départir to separate one's self, depart; pref. dé- (L. de) + partir to part, depart,]
Definitions and etymologies from Webster's Unabridged Dictionary, 1913.
About this text
Night is in the public domain. This text is taken from Faust, Part One, Project Gutenberg ebook #14591, the Bayard Taylor translation; the transcription's header, footer and licence were removed and nothing else was changed. You may copy, print and reuse it freely.
Cite as: Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, Night, in Faust, Part One (1870), text of Project Gutenberg ebook #14591, Laurel, https://laurelpoetry.com/poem/goethe-faust/night-2.html, id L14401.
Form and metre
Night is 146 lines in 23 stanzas. The metre is iambic tetrameter, measured from the stress the words themselves fix (confidence 89%). 96% of its stressed syllables fall where the metre puts the beat. The lines average 8.1 syllables. 36 lines end on an unstressed syllable, a feminine ending. 13% of the lines run on without a stop at the line end.
See other poems in iambic tetrameter.
Measured by Laurel's pipeline, not copied from a handbook: how stress and metre are counted, how rhyme is lettered, how a drifted rhyme is found. Where the dictionary cannot confirm a rhyme the letter is withheld, not guessed.
Rhyme words, stanza by stanza
The word that ends each line, lettered by the rhyme it makes; a dash is a line whose rhyme the dictionary could not confirm.
- 1 AAB-CCDDEFEFGGHIHIJJBB---- carouseA · allowsA · meB · lustily · toastC · boastC · reposeD · roseD · sayE · handF · wayE · landF · goldG · holdG · aroundH · someI · foundH · dumbI · vexationJ · desperationJ · meB · meB · sitting · sweating · together · either
- 2 AABB viewA · twoA · driveB · aliveB
- 3 -AA-- sacristy · glimmerA · dimmerA · sky · gather
- 4 -AA--BCBC rather · sweepsA · creepsA · come · frolicsome · presageB · nightC · messageB · delightC
- 5 AA beA · seeA
- 6 AA-- pleasureA · treasureA · squint · t
- 9 AA itA · visitA
- 10 AAB-B- annoyingA · enjoyingA · throngB · completer · songB · her
- 11 AAABCCCB hereA · clearA · dearA · doorB · bladeC · maidC · maidC · nevermoreB
- 12 AAABCCCB shunA · oneA · doneA · thingB · briefC · thiefC · liefC · ringB
- 13 -A-A element · perditionA · instrument · musicianA
- 14 ABAB prayA · tarryB · delayA · parryB
- 17 -AABB tame · flyA · cryA · itB · itB
- 18 ABAB saidA · doneB · insteadA · oneB
- 19 AABCCB artA · smartA · slightB · heedC · indeedC · outrightB
- 20 ABB-A--CDDC-EE-FFGGGG-H-HII---- beA · alasB · passB · secretly · theeA · known · town · appearsC · lightD · nightD · earsC · her · displayE · dayE · fairer · sightF · lightF · discernG · turnG · protectionG · infectionG · thee · faceH · thee · placeH · flowingI · goingI · thee · thee · forgive · live
- 21 AA pardonA · hardenA
- 22 AABB stillA · killA · pleasureB · measureB
- 23 -AABB refrain · departA · heartA · graveB · braveB
Scansion, line by line
Each line with its syllable count and the stresses the words themselves fix: / stressed, ˘ unstressed, · a syllable the word leaves free and the metre decides. Read against iambic tetrameter. How this is done.
| Line | Syl. | Stress |
|---|---|---|
| When I have sat at some carouse. | 8 | ······˘/ |
| Where each to each his brag allows, | 8 | ······˘/ |
| And many a comrade praised to me | 8 | ·/·/···· |
| His pink of girls right lustily, | 8 | ·····/˘˘ |
| With brimming glass that spilled the toast, | 8 | ·/˘····· |
| And elbows planted as in boast: | 8 | ·/·/˘··· |
| I sat in unconcerned repose, | 8 | ····˘/˘/ |
| And heard the swagger as it rose. | 8 | ···/˘··· |
| And stroking then my beard, I’d say, | 8 | ·/˘····· |
| Smiling, the bumper in my hand: | 8 | /˘·/˘··· |
| “Each well enough in her own way. | 8 | ··˘/···· |
| But is there one in all the land | 8 | ········ |
| Like sister Margaret, good as gold,— | 8 | ·/˘/˘··· |
| One that to her can a candle hold?” | 9 | ······/˘· |
| Cling! clang! “Here’s to her!” went around | 8 | ········ |
| The board: “He speaks the truth!” cried some; | 8 | ········ |
| “In her the flower o’ the sex is found!” | 9 | ···/····· |
| And all the swaggerers were dumb. | 8 | ········ |
| And now!—I could tear my hair with vexation. | 11 | ········˘/˘ |
| And dash out my brains in desperation! | 10 | ·······˘/˘ |
| With turned-up nose each scamp may face me, | 9 | ········· |
| With sneers and stinging taunts disgrace me, | 9 | ···/˘·˘/· |
| And, like a bankrupt debtor sitting, | 9 | ···/˘/˘/˘ |
| A chance-dropped word may set me sweating! | 9 | ·······/˘ |
| Yet, though I thresh them all together, | 9 | ······˘/˘ |
| I cannot call them liars, either. | 9 | ·/˘··/˘/˘ |
| But what comes sneaking, there, to view? | 8 | ···/˘··· |
| If I mistake not, there are two. | 8 | ··˘/···· |
| If he’s one, let me at him drive! | 8 | ········ |
| He shall not leave the spot alive. | 8 | ······˘/ |
| How from the window of the sacristy | 10 | ···/˘··/˘˘ |
| Upward th’eternal lamp sends forth a glimmer, | 11 | /˘·······/˘ |
| That, lessening side-wards, fainter grows and dimmer, | 11 | ·/˘··/˘··/˘ |
| Till darkness closes from the sky! | 8 | ·/˘/˘··· |
| The shadows thus within my bosom gather. | 11 | ·/·····/˘/˘ |
| I’m like a sentimental tom-cat, rather, | 11 | ····˘/˘··/˘ |
| That round the tall fire-ladders sweeps, | 8 | ····//˘· |
| And stealthy, then, along the coping creeps: | 10 | ·/˘·˘/·/˘· |
| Quite virtuous, withal, I come, | 8 | ·/˘˘˘/·· |
| A little thievish and a little frolicsome. | 12 | ·/˘/˘··/˘/˘˘ |
| I feel in every limb the presage | 9 | ···/˘··/˘ |
| Forerunning the grand Walpurgis-Night: | 10 | ·········· |
| Day after to-morrow brings its message, | 10 | ····/˘··/˘ |
| And one keeps watch then with delight. | 8 | ······˘/ |
| Meanwhile, may not the treasure risen be, | 10 | /····/˘/˘· |
| Which there, behind, I glimmering see? | 8 | ·····/˘· |
| Shalt soon experience the pleasure, | 9 | ··˘/˘˘·/˘ |
| To lift the kettle with its treasure. | 9 | ···/˘··/˘ |
| I lately gave therein a squint— | 8 | ·/˘····· |
| Saw splendid lion-dollars in ’t. | 8 | ·/˘//˘·· |
| Not even a jewel, not a ring, | 8 | ·/·/˘··· |
| To deck therewith my darling girl? | 8 | ··˘/·/˘· |
| I saw, among the rest, a thing | 8 | ········ |
| That seemed to be a chain of pearl. | 8 | ········ |
| That’s well, indeed! For painful is it | 9 | ··˘/·/˘·· |
| To bring no gift when her I visit. | 9 | ·······/˘ |
| Thou shouldst not find it so annoying, | 9 | ······˘/˘ |
| Without return to be enjoying. | 9 | ··˘/··˘/˘ |
| Now, while the sky leads forth its starry throng, | 10 | ·······/˘· |
| Thou’lt hear a masterpiece, no work completer: | 11 | ···/˘······ |
| I’ll sing her, first, a moral song, | 8 | ·····/˘· |
| The surer, afterwards, to cheat her. | 8 | ·/˘/˘··· |
| What dost thou here | 4 | ···· |
| In daybreak clear, | 4 | ·/·· |
| Kathrina dear, | 4 | ···· |
| Before thy lover’s door? | 6 | ···/˘· |
| Beware! the blade | 4 | ˘/·· |
| Lets in a maid. | 4 | ···· |
| That out a maid | 4 | ···· |
| Departeth nevermore! | 6 | ˘/˘/˘· |
| The coaxing shun | 4 | ·/˘· |
| Of such an one! | 4 | ···· |
| When once ’tis done | 4 | ···· |
| Good-night to thee, poor thing! | 6 | ······ |
| Love’s time is brief: | 4 | ···· |
| Unto no thief | 4 | ···· |
| Be warm and lief, | 4 | ···· |
| But with the wedding-ring! | 6 | ···/˘· |
| Whom wilt thou lure? God’s-element! | 8 | ·····/˘˘ |
| Rat-catching piper, thou!—perdition! | 9 | ·/˘/˘·˘/˘ |
| To the Devil, first, the instrument! | 9 | ··/˘··/˘˘ |
| To the Devil, then, the curst musician! | 9 | ··/···˘/˘ |
| Sir Doctor, don’t retreat, I pray! | 8 | ·/˘·˘/·· |
| Stand by: I’ll lead, if you’ll but tarry: | 9 | ·······/˘ |
| Out with your spit, without delay! | 8 | ······˘/ |
| You’ve but to lunge, and I will parry. | 9 | ·······/˘ |
| Why not? ’tis light. | 4 | ···· |
| I think the Devil must fight! | 7 | ···/˘·· |
| How is it, then? my hand’s already lame: | 10 | ······˘/˘· |
| Now is the lubber tame! | 6 | ···/˘· |
| But come, away! ’Tis time for us to fly; | 10 | ··˘/······ |
| For there arises now a murderous cry. | 10 | ··˘/˘··/˘· |
| With the police ’twere easy to compound it, | 11 | ··˘/·/˘·˘/· |
| But here the penal court will sift and sound it. | 11 | ···/˘······ |
| I’m dying! That is quickly said, | 8 | ·/˘··/˘· |
| And quicker yet ’tis done. | 6 | ·/˘··· |
| Why howl, you women there? Instead, | 8 | ···/˘·˘/ |
| Come here and listen, every one! | 8 | ···/˘/˘· |
| My Margaret, see! still young thou art, | 8 | ·/˘····· |
| But not the least bit shrewd or smart, | 8 | ········ |
| Thy business thus to slight: | 6 | ·/˘··· |
| So this advice I bid thee heed— | 8 | ··˘/···· |
| Now that thou art a whore indeed, | 8 | ······˘/ |
| Why, be one then, outright! | 6 | ····// |
| In this game let our Lord God be! | 8 | ····/··· |
| What’s done’s already done, alas! | 8 | ··˘/˘·˘/ |
| What follows it, must come to pass. | 8 | ·/˘····· |
| With one begin’st thou secretly, | 8 | ·····/˘˘ |
| Then soon will others come to thee, | 8 | ···/˘··· |
| And when a dozen thee have known, | 8 | ···/˘··· |
| Thou’rt also free to all the town. | 8 | ·/˘····· |
| When Shame is born and first appears, | 8 | ······˘/ |
| She is in secret brought to light, | 8 | ···/˘··· |
| And then they draw the veil of night | 8 | ········ |
| Over her head and ears; | 6 | ······ |
| Her life, in fact, they’re loath to spare her. | 9 | ········· |
| But let her growth and strength display, | 8 | ······˘/ |
| She walks abroad unveiled by day, | 8 | ··˘/˘/·· |
| Yet is not grown a whit the fairer. | 9 | ·······/˘ |
| The uglier she is to sight, | 8 | ·/˘˘···· |
| The more she seeks the day’s broad light. | 8 | ········ |
| The time I verily can discern | 9 | ···/˘˘·˘/ |
| When all the honest folk will turn | 8 | ···/˘··· |
| From thee, thou jade! and seek protection | 9 | ······˘/˘ |
| As from a corpse that breeds infection. | 9 | ······˘/˘ |
| Thy guilty heart shall then dismay thee. | 9 | ·/˘···˘/· |
| When they but look thee in the face:— | 8 | ········ |
| Shalt not in a golden chain array thee, | 10 | ····/˘·˘/· |
| Nor at the altar take thy place! | 8 | ···/˘··· |
| Shalt not, in lace and ribbons flowing, | 9 | ·····/˘/˘ |
| Make merry when the dance is going! | 9 | ·/˘····/˘ |
| But in some corner, woe betide thee! | 9 | ···/˘·˘/· |
| Among the beggars and cripples hide thee; | 10 | ···/˘·/˘·· |
| And so, though even God forgive, | 8 | ···/˘·˘/ |
| On earth a damned existence live! | 8 | ····˘/˘· |
| Commend your soul to God for pardon, | 9 | ˘/·····/˘ |
| That you your heart with slander harden! | 9 | ·····/˘/˘ |
| Thou pimp most infamous, be still! | 8 | ···/˘˘·· |
| Could I thy withered body kill, | 8 | ···/˘/˘· |
| ’Twould bring, for all my sinful pleasure, | 9 | ·····/˘/˘ |
| Forgiveness in the richest measure. | 9 | ˘/˘··/˘/˘ |
| I tell thee, from thy tears refrain! | 8 | ······˘/ |
| When thou from honor didst depart | 8 | ···/˘·˘/ |
| It stabbed me to the very heart. | 8 | ·····/˘· |
| Now through the slumber of the grave | 8 | ···/˘··· |
| I go to God as a soldier brave. | 9 | ······/˘· |
The reader shows the same poem with its rhymes coloured and a stress row above each line, the notes beside their stanzas, and any word's definition on a tap; the analysis page takes the whole book apart. How every part of this site was made.