Emo Baer

Contrary to popular belief, Lorem Ipsum is not simply random text. It has roots in a piece of classical Latin literature from 45 BC, making it over 2000 years old. Richard McClintock, a Latin professor at Hampden-Sydney College in Virginia, looked up one of the more obscure Latin words, consectetur, from a Lorem Ipsum passage, and going through the cites of the word in classical literature, discovered the undoubtable source. Lorem Ipsum comes from sections 1.10.32 and 1.10.33 of “de Finibus Bonorum et Malorum” (The Extremes of Good and Evil) by Cicero, written in 45 BC. This book is a treatise on the theory of ethics, very popular during the Renaissance. The first line of Lorem Ipsum, “Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet..”, comes from a line in section 1.10.32.

EMO BAER

Ist er erleuchtened? Ja, sehr
Unser beachtlichen Herr

Ein dreifaltiges Leben
Samhita? Ja, eben

Von allen geliebt: Emo Baer

Er schenkt uns sein wertvolles Lehr
Von seinem dienst-vollen Leben — und mehr

Ein Gärtner, ein Bauer
Ein Mensch auf die Dauer —

Von allen geliebt: Emo Baer

Ein Meister der Erde ist er
Naturgesetz schenkt ihm grosse Wehr

Dieser Sultan der Samen
Bekommt einen Spitznamen:

Sehr geehrter Herr Erd-Baer —
Und von allen geliebt: Emo Baer

Emo — dein Herz is so voll
Emo — Du bist so toll

Lebe lang und lebe gut
Im Licht und mit Mut —

Alle Freude auf Deinem Neun-Null!

Sein Leben hat allerhöchsten Zwecke
Erleuchtung is Emo’s schöne Decke
Und so, liebe Leute
Er is vier-und-neunzig heute

Und hundert ist gleich um die Ecke!

Herzlichen Geburtstag!
July 15, 2016

* * * * *
TRANSLATION (UNRHYMED):

Is he enlightened? Yes, very
Our respectable sir

A three-fold life*
Samhita — that’s it

Beloved by all: Emo Baer

He gives us his valuable teaching
From his life full of service — and more

A gardener, a farmer
A human being in the long run

Beloved by all: Emo Baer

He is a master of the earth
Natural law gives him great protection

This sultan of seeds
Gets a nickname:

Very honored Mister Earth-Baer**

Emo — your heart is so full
Emo — you are so great

Live long and live well
In light and with courage

All joy at your nine-zero

Your life has the highest of purposes
Enlightenment is Emo’s beautiful blanket

And so, dear people
He is ninety-four today

And a hundred is just around the corner

* Three-in-one life is the way Emo looks back on his life, reflected in the title of his autobiography, The Transcendental Rose — An Autobiography: Childhood in Germany, Growing Up with Israel, Meditating in Iowa

** A play on words here: Erd-Baer translates as earth Baer, or earth bear. But erdbeer (pronounced the same as Erd-Baer) is the German word for strawberry, also playing on the theme of his being a gardener, farmer, and man of the earth.