WIST Quotations

Brecht, Bertholt -- Poem (1938 ca.), “To Those Born Later [A die Nachgeborenen],” sec. 1, Svendborger Gedichte (1939) [tr. Willet / Manheim / Fried]

Dave — Sun, 05 Apr 2026 04:47:05 +0000

They say to me: Eat and drink! Be glad you have it!
But how can I eat and drink if
I snatch what I eat from the starving, and
My glass of water belongs to one dying of thirst?
And yet I eat and drink.

[Man sagt mir: Iß und trink du! Sei froh, daß du hast!
Aber wie kann ich essen und trinken, wenn
Ich dem Hungernden entreiße, was ich esse, und
Mein Glas Wasser einem Verdursteten fehlt?
Und doch esse und trinke ich.]

Bertolt Brecht (1898-1956) German poet, playwright, director, dramaturgist
Poem (1938 ca.), “To Those Born Later [A die Nachgeborenen],” sec. 1, Svendborger Gedichte (1939) [tr. Willet / Manheim / Fried]
(Source)

Also translated as "To Those Who Follow in Our Wake" and "To Later Generations." Writing not just about sustenance in a world of poverty, but on the use of essentials like food and water by totalitarian regimes to buy loyalty. Written while Brecht had left Germany for Denmark.

An audio recording of the poem by Brecht.

(Source (German)). Other translations:

They tell me: eat and drink. Be glad to be among the haves!
But how can I eat and drink
When I take what I eat from the starving
And those who thirst do not have my glass of water?
And yet I eat and drink.
[tr. Horton (2008)]

People tell me: Eat and drink! Be happy that you have!
But how can I eat and drink, if
What I eat, I take from the hungry, and if
My glass of water deprives the thirsty?
And yet, eat and drink I do.
[tr. Rienas (2009)]

People tell me, Eat and drink! Be glad to have something!
But how can I eat and drink, if
I take what I eat from one who starves
And one dying of thirst needs my glass of water?
And still I eat and drink.
[tr. Renaud (2016)]

Bible, Vol. 1. Old Testament -- Book 20. Proverbs 25:21ff (Prov 25:21-22) [tr. CEB (2011)]

Dave — Tue, 03 Mar 2026 17:27:47 +0000

If your enemies are starving, feed them some bread;
if they are thirsty, give them water to drink.
By doing this, you will heap burning coals on their heads,
and the Lord will reward you.

The Bible (The Old Testament) (14th - 2nd C BC) Judeo-Christian sacred scripture [Tanakh, Hebrew Bible], incl. the Apocrypha (Deuterocanonicals)
Book 20. Proverbs 25:21ff (Prov 25:21-22) [tr. CEB (2011)]
(Source)

See Romans 12:19-21.

Alternate translations:

If thine enemy be hungry, give him bread to eat;
and if he be thirsty, give him water to drink:
for thou shalt heap coals of fire upon his head,
and the Lord shall reward thee.
[KJV (1611)]

If your enemy is hungry, give him something to eat; if thirsty, something to drink.
By this you heap red-hot coals on his head, and Yahweh will reward you.
[JB (1966)]

If your enemy is hungry, give him something to eat; if thirsty, something to drink.
By this you will be heaping red-hot coals on his head, and Yahweh will reward you.
[NJB (1985)]

If your enemies are hungry, feed them; if they are thirsty, give them a drink. 22 You will make them burn with shame, and the Lord will reward you.
[GNT (1992 ed.)]

If your enemies are hungry, give them bread to eat,
and if they are thirsty, give them water to drink,
for you will heap coals of fire on their heads,
and the Lord will reward you.
[NRSV (2021 ed.)]

If your enemy is hungry, give him bread to eat;
If he is thirsty, give him water to drink.
You will be heaping live coals on his head,
And God will reward you.
[RJPS (2023 ed.)]

Martial -- Epigrams [Epigrammata], Book 4, epigram 69 (4.69) (AD 89) [tr. Cunningham (1971)]

Dave — Fri, 02 Jun 2023 23:17:39 +0000

You serve the best wine always, my dear sir,
And yet they say your wines are not so good.
They say you are four times a widower.
They say … A drink? I don’t believe I would.

[Tu Setina quidem semper vel Massica ponis,
Papyle, sed rumor tam bona vina negat:
Diceris hac factus caelebs quater esse lagona.
Nec puto nec credo, Papyle, nec sitio.]

Martial (AD c.39-c.103) Spanish Roman poet, satirist, epigrammatist [Marcus Valerius Martialis]
Epigrams [Epigrammata], Book 4, epigram 69 (4.69) (AD 89) [tr. Cunningham (1971)]
(Source)

(Source (Latin)). Alternate translations:

When I with thee, Cinna, doe die or sup,
Thou still do'st offer me they Gossips cup:
And though it savour well, and be well spiced,
Yet I to taste thereof am not enticed.
Now sith you needs will have me cause alledge,
While I straine curt'sie in that cup to pledge:
One said, thou mad'st that cup so hote of spice,
That it had made thee now a widower twice.
I will not say 'tis so, nor that I thinke it:
But good Sir, pardon me, I cannot drinke it.
[tr. Harington (1618), ep. 101; Book 2, ep. 5]

Pure Massic wine thou does not only drink,
But giv'st thy guests: though some this do not think.
Four wives, 't is said, thy flagon caused to die;
This I believe not, yet not thirst to try.
[tr. Killigrew (1695)]

With the best wines of France you entertain:
Yet that your wine is bad the world complain:
That you have lost four wives by it; but I
Neither believe it, Sir, -- nor am adry.
[tr. Hay (1755)]

Thou Setian and Massic serv'st, Pamphilus, up:
But rumor thy wines has accurst.
A fourth time the wid'wer thou'rt hail'd by the cup:
I neither believe it, nor -- thirst.
[tr. Elphinston (1782)]

You always, it is true, Pamphilus, place Setine wine, or Massic, on table; but rumour says that they are not so pure as they ought to be. You are reported to have been four times made a widower by the aid of your goblet. I do not think this, or believe it, Pamphilus; but I am not thirsty.
[tr. Bohn's Classical (1859)]

On Massic and Setinian fares
The guest that banquets in your hall.
Yet, Papilus, report declares
Them not so wholesome after all.
'Tis said that by that wine-jar you
Four times became a widower. Thus
I neither think, nor hold it true,
Nor am I thirsty, Papilus.
[tr. Webb (1879)]

You indeed put on your table always Setine or Massic, Papilus, but rumour says your wines are not so very good: you are said by means of this brand to have been made a widower four times. I don't think so, or believe it, Papilus, but -- I am not thirsty.
[tr. Ker (1919)]

Setine and Massic at your board abound,
Yet some aver your wine is hardly sound;
’Twas this relieved you of four wives they say;
A libel -- but I will not dine to-day.
[tr. Pott & Wright (1921), "A Doubtful Vintage"]

Your butler prates of Setine and of Massic,
But scandal gives it titles not so classic.
"Four wives it's cost you." Gossip's never true,
But I'm not thirsty -- much obliged to you.
[tr. Francis & Tatum (1924), Ep. 202]

I see you do serve Massic wine
And even glorious Setian.
But rumor has it that they smack
A bit of that Venetian
Mixture that Lucretia served,
That four of your dear wives
On tasting those expensive labels
Promptly lost their lives.
It's all, I'm sure, a lot of talk,
Incredible, I think.
But thank you, no; I've got to go.
Besides, I do not drink.
[tr. Marcellino (1968)]

You serve wine in the very best bottles, Papylus,
but they say the wine is not exactly the best,
they say you've become a widower four times now
thanks to those very bottles.
What a crock!
You know I wouldn't take stock
in a rumor like that, Papylus.
It's just that I'm not thirsty.
[tr. Bovie (1970)]

You always serve Setine or Massic, Papylus, but rumor refuses us such excellent wines. This flask is said to have made you a widower four times over. I don't think so or believe so, Papylus, but -- I'm not thirsty.
[tr. Shackleton Bailey (1993)]

Pappus, they say your wine is not good,
it made you a widower four times.
I don't believe that. You're a civilised man.
Nevertheless, my thirst is suddenly gone.v [tr. Kennelly (2008), "A Civilised Man"]

You always serve such fine wine, Papylus,
but rumor makes us pass it up. They say
this flask has widowed you four times. I don't
believe it -- but my thirst has gone away.
[tr. McLean (2014)]

Peacock, Thomas Love -- Melincourt, ch. 16 (1817)

Dave — Wed, 06 Sep 2017 23:15:39 +0000

There are two reasons for drinking: one is, when you are thirsty, to cure it; the other, when you are not thirsty, to prevent it. The first is obvious, mechanical, and plebeian; the second is most refined, abstract, prospicient, and canonical. I drink by anticipation of thirst that may be. Prevention is better than cure.

Thomas Love Peacock (1785-1866) English novelist, satirist, poet, merchant
Melincourt, ch. 16 (1817)
(Source)

Bible, Vol. 1. Old Testament -- Book 19. Psalms 42: 1 (Ps 42:1) [NRSV (2021 ed.)]

Dave — Tue, 26 May 2015 12:59:50 +0000

As a deer longs for flowing streams,
so my soul longs for you, O God.

The Bible (The Old Testament) (14th - 2nd C BC) Judeo-Christian sacred scripture [Tanakh, Hebrew Bible], incl. the Apocrypha (Deuterocanonicals)
Book 19. Psalms 42: 1 (Ps 42:1) [NRSV (2021 ed.)]
(Source)

Alternate translations:

As the hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God.
[KJV (1611)]

As a doe longs
for running streams,
so longs my soul
for you, my God.
[JB (1966)]

As a deer longs for a stream of cool water,
so I long for you, O God.
[GNT (1976)]

As a deer yearns for running streams, so I yearn for you, my God.
[NJB (1985)]

Just like a deer that craves streams of water,
my whole being craves you, God.
[CEB (2011)]

As the deer pants for streams of water,
so my soul pants for you, my God.
[NIV (2011 ed.)]

Like a hind crying for water,
my soul cries for You, O God.
[RJPS (2023 ed.), 42:2]

Aldrich, Henry -- “Five Reasons for Drinking” (1689)

Dave — Tue, 14 Aug 2012 14:43:06 +0000

If all be true that I do think,
There are five reasons we should drink:
Good wine, a friend, because I’m dry,
Or least I should be by and by,
Or any other reason why.

Henry Aldrich (1647-1710) English academic, theologian, philosopher, architect, composer
“Five Reasons for Drinking” (1689)
(Source)

Variant:

If on my theme I rightly think,
There are five reasons why men drink:
Good wine, a friend, because I'm dry,
Or least I should be by-and-by,
Or any other reason why.

Variant (also):

If all be true that I do think,
There are five reasons we should drink:
Good wine -- a friend -- or being dry --
Or lest we should be by-and-by --
Or any other reason why.

Translation of a Latin epigram from Jacques Sirmond (set to music by Orlando di Lassus (Di Lasso)):

Si bene quid memini, causae sunt quinque bibendi;
Hospitis adventus, praesens sitis atque futura,
Aut vini bonitas, aut quaelibet altera causa.

[If I remember correctly, there are five reasons for drinking:
The arrival of a guest, present and future thirst,
Or the goodness of the wine, or any other reason.]
[Google Translate]

In some versions it starts "Si bene commemini" and on the last line uses "Et" for the two "Aut"s.

An satirical extended version can be found in Mortimer Collins, Squire Silchester's Whim (1873):

If all be true that I do think,
Seven reasons are there why we drink:
Good wine -- a friend -- or being dry --
Or lest we should be by-and-by --
Or idleness beneath the sky --
Or a sweet girl's inviting eye:
Or any other reason why.

The poem was set to music by Henry Purcell as a "Catch" (Round), as recorded in Henry Playford, The Banquet of Musick (1688) (also here):

1. If all be true that I do think, there are Five Reasons, there are Five Reasons, we shou'd drink:
2. Good Wine, a Friend, or being Dry, or lest we shou'd be by and by,
3. or any Reason, or any other Reason, or any other Reason why, any Reason why.

The tune was borrowed by Temperance advocates for an anti-drinking Round (by 1865):

1. If all be true that I do think, there are five reasons, five reasons why we should not drink.
2. Our name, our health, our family, our peace both now and by and bye.
3. And many other reasons, and many other reasons, and many other reasons why, many reasons why.

Other notes here.

Herbert, George -- Jacula Prudentum, or Outlandish Proverbs, Sentences, &c. (compiler), # 290 (1640 ed.)

Dave — Thu, 27 May 2010 12:14:00 +0000

Goe not for every griefe to the Physitian, nor for every quarrell to the Lawyer, nor for every thirst to the pot.

George Herbert (1593-1633) Welsh priest, orator, poet.
Jacula Prudentum, or Outlandish Proverbs, Sentences, &c. (compiler), # 290 (1640 ed.)
(Source)