Perhaps something nice for thinking about the differences between us Westeners and the Easteners we so admire. This is the first half of a poem by Theodor Fontane (1819-1898). I will leave the title untranslated as it takes away the pointe before reading it but it is: Aber wir lassen es Andere machen.
Now first in German:
Ein Chinese, (’s sind schon an 200 Jahr)
In Frankreich auf einem Hofball war.
Und die Einen frugen ihn: ob er das kenne?
Und die Andern frugen ihn: wie man es nenne?
„Wir nennen es tanzen“, sprach er mit Lachen,
„Aber wir lassen es Andere machen.“
And now my English translation. Please excuse if I don't try to rhyme this so as to stay as true to the content as possible:
A Chinese (it's been about 200 years already)
was on a court ball in France.
And some asked him: if he did know this?
And others asked him: how it is called?
"We call it dancing" he spoke with laughter
"But we let others do it."
If you ask me, obviously the Cinese comes out superior, however wonderful dancing might be. The same opinion has Fontane, by the way, who concluded his poem:
Und dieses Wort, seit langer Frist,
Mir immer in Erinnerung ist.
Ich seh das Rennen, ich seh das Jagen,
Und wenn mich die Menschen umdrängen und fragen,
„Was thust Du nicht mit? Warum stehst Du bei Seit’?“
So sag’ ich: „Alles hat seine Zeit.
Auch die Jagd nach dem Glück. All derlei Sachen,
Ich lasse sie längst durch Andere machen.“
And this word since a long time
always remains in my memory.
I see the running, I see the chasing,
and when the people crowd around me and ask me
"Why don't you participate? Why do you stand aside?"
So I say: "There is a time for everything.
The chase for luck as well. All such things
I long since let them do through others."
