Help translating this cool plaque I found in my neighborhood

6 comments
  1. That is a poem written by Mozart for his bird.

    http://www.zeno.org/Musik/M/Nottebohm,+Gustav/Mozartiana/1.+Mittheilungen+der+Wittwe+Mozart's/%5BHier+ruht+ein+lieber+Narr%5D

    Hier ruht ein lieber Narr,

    Ein Vogel Staar.

    Noch in den besten Jahren

    Mußt er erfahren

    Des Todes bittern Schmerz.

    Mir blut’t das Herz,

    Wenn ich daran gedenke.

    O Leser! schenke

    Auch du ein Thränchen ihm.

    Er war nicht schlimm;

    Nur war er etwas munter,

    Doch auch mitunter

    Ein lieber loser Schalk,

    Und drum kein Dalk.

    Ich wett’, er ist schon oben,

    Um mich zu loben

    Für diesen Freundschaftsdienst

    Ohne Gewinnst.

    Denn wie er unvermuthet

    Sich hat verblutet,

    Dacht er nicht an den Mann,

    Der so schön reimen kann.1

  2. You can find the translation [here](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mozart's_starling#Demise).

    Though on the plaque it says “Zebrafink” ([Australian zebra finch](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Australian_zebra_finch)), while Mozart wrote about his pet “Staar” ([starling](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Starling)). The person who wrote this probably modified the poem for his own bird who passed away.

    I also doubt that the author speaks German, since the capitalization is inconsistent.

  3. It’s a poem written by Mozart. There are some misspellings. Translating a poem doesn’t make much sense.
    It’s basically about a bird that died.

  4. Its a poem from Mozart, a requiem about a Pet Bird he once had.

    In the original its a Starling, in this one a Finch.

    Here rests a dear fool,
    A bird starling.
    Still in his prime
    He had to experience
    Death’s bitter pain.
    My heart was bleeding
    When I think of it.
    O reader, give
    A tear for him, too.
    He was not bad;
    Only he was a bit lively
    A dear loose rogue,
    And therefore no dalk.
    I bet he’s up already,
    To praise me
    For this friendly service
    Without profit.
    For how he unexpectedly
    Has bled himself to death,
    He did not think of the man
    Who can rhyme so beautifully.

  5. Has some spelling errors or rather, oddities due to being and old quote, but it says:

    Here rests a lovely fool,

    a bird zebra finch.

    Still in its best years

    it had to experience

    death’s bitter pain.

    My heart bleeds

    when I think of it.

    Oh reader! Gift

    you, too, a small tear to it.

    It wasn’t naughty;

    It was just a bit lively,

    but sometimes, too,

    a lovely, loose rogue,

    so therefore no Dalk/Palk. (Whatever that is, never heard it and googling says Palk is an STD.)

    I bet it is already up there

    to laud me

    for this service of friendship

    without profit.

    Because as it so unexpectedly

    has exsanguinated,

    it didn’t think of the man

    who can rhyme so beautifully.

    W.A. Mozart 1787

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