Vom Münster Trauerglocken klingen.

From the minster the death bells ring

Vom Tal ein Jauchzen schallt herauf.

From the valley cheerful voices sing

Zur Ruh sie dort dem Toten singen,

It's the departed's last lullaby,

Die Lerchen jubeln: Wache auf!

Wake up, wake up, the larks do cry.

Mit Erde sie ihn still bedecken,

Cold earth falls on the tomb

Das Grün aus allen Gräbern bricht,

giving rise to new bloom.

Die Ströme hell durch Land sich strecken,

Clear waters flow through woodland green

Der Wald ernst wie in Träumen spricht,

solemnly talking as if in dream

Und bei den Klängen, Jauchzen, Trauern,

And all through the country you can see

Soweit ins Land man schauen mag,

mourning mixed with music and glee.

Es ist ein tiefes Frühlingsschauern

Through darkness breaks spring's first sun ray

Als wie ein Auferstehungstag.

behold the resurrection day. 

German original by Josef von Eichendorff,

English translation by Michaela Pschierer-Barnfather

Things never go so well that one should have no fear, and never so ill that one should have no hope.

Turkish proverb

Selbst wenn Dir alles herrlich scheint, bewahre Dir die Furcht und wenn Dir alles trostlos scheint, bewahre Dir die Hoffnung.

Sprichwort aus der Türkei

I would certainly agree with this, but I think there are two aspects missing, namely:

1)  A truly beautiful woman is also faithful

2)  There are plenty of women who are neither beautiful nor faithful

What do you think?

It's in Italian, but of course I'll provide you with a translation. I think it's a very poignant reminder of our role in this world. 

Italian original: Signore, è così grande il tuo mare e così piccola la mia barca.

English translation: Lord, how big is thy sea and how small is my boat.

German translation: Oh Herr, wie gross ist Dein Meer und wie klein mein Boot.

For you

and for us

and where we have been

and where we will go.

I think it might be one of the best dedications I have ever read.

It stands out because it is different, because it is universal and timeless, because it feels very personal, even though or maybe precisely because no particular person is named - and what's more, it showcases exactly what the book is about, namely, that words which on the surface do not tell us very much at all (who is "you"?, who are "we"?, where do we go? - it's all in the open) can stir up a whole world of emotions and significance.

And of course this immediately poses a problem for the translation: Is the "you" singular or plural? Why is it "where we will go" rather than "where we will be"?

I decide that as books, and therefore dedications, are usually read by a sinlge person, the German version should use the singular "Du" rather than "Euch". The second part is more difficult. I had to look at the verb tenses more carefully to come to a solution. "Have been" is progressive, whereas "be" is static - the journey from the past (have been) is matched with a journey (will go) in the future. This decided my choice for the German verbs. Finally, notice how even the alliteration of "where we" is preserved in the German version.

Für dich

und für uns

und woher wir kamen

und wohin wir gehen.

You cannot teach a person something he does not already know; you can only bring what he does know to his awareness.

Man kann niemanden etwas lehren, von dem er nicht schon etwas weiß; man kann ihm nur das, was er schon weiß zum Bewusstsein bringen.

I think this is a wonderful sentiment for today and very true. The English original has been variously attributed to Theodore M. Hesburgh and Henry Ward Beecher, both American clergyman.

Here is the German translation:

Das Wichtigste, das ein Vater für seine Kinder tun kann, ist, ihre Mutter zu lieben.

Happy Father's Day!

 APRIL, APRIL!!

• Albert Speer, deutscher Architekt und Generalbauinspektor für die Reichshauptstadt, stellte die sogenannte "Ruinenwerttheorie" auf. Demnach sollen Bauwerke so gestaltet werden, dass bei ihrem Zerfall schöne und vornehm aussehende Ruinen entstehen.

WAHR!

• Japanese long-distance runner Kimo Nakajimi entered the London Marathon in 1983 but got confused by a translation of the rules and thought he had to run for 26 days, not 26 miles. He was discovered, after the race was well over, out running in the English countryside.

  APRIL FOOL!

• German architect Albert Speer, the first architect of the Third Reich, invented the concept of "ruin value" and  designed special buildings  that  would leave aesthetically pleasing ruins.

TRUE

• 1983 nahm der japanische Langstreckenläufer Kimo Nakajimi am Londoner Marathon teil. Eine Übersetzung der Regeln machte ihn glauben, er müsse 26 Tage und nicht 26 Meilen laufen. Erst lange nach Ende des Rennens wurde er beim Laufen im Londoner   Umland entdeckt.

• Albert Speer, deutscher Architekt und Generalbauinspektor für die Reichshauptstadt, stellte die sogenannte "Ruinenwerttheorie" auf. Demnach sollen Bauwerke so gestaltet werden, dass bei ihrem Zerfall schöne und vornehm aussehende Ruinen entstehen.

The following short notices have been taken from old back issues of the Guardian. You have to decide which one is true and which one is an April Fools' gag. Answers tomorrow! 

• Japanese long-distance runner Kimo Nakajimi entered the London Marathon in 1983 but got confused by a translation of the rules and thought he had to run for 26 days, not 26 miles. He was discovered, after the race was well over, out running in the English countryside.

• German architect Albert Speer, the first architect of the Third Reich, invented the concept of "ruin value" and  designed special buildings  that  would leave aesthetically pleasing ruins.

Ahme den Gang der Natur nach.

Ihr Geheimnis ist Geduld.

Adopt the pace of nature.

Her secret is patience.