WER wenn ich schriee, [1] hörte [2] mich denn aus der Engel
Who, were I to scream, would hear me from the angels'
Ordnungen? [3] und gesetz selbst, es [4] nähme [5]
orders? and even assuming one were to take
einer mich plötzlich ans Herz: ich verginge [6] von seinem
me suddenly to its heart: I would perish from its
stärkeren Dasein. Denn das Schöne ist nichts
more robust being. For the beautiful is nothing
als des Schrecklichen Anfang, [7] den wir noch gerade ertragen,
other than the beginning of the terrifying, which we can barely endure,
und wir bewundern es so, weil es gelassen verschmäht,
and we revere it so, because it placidly disdains
uns zu zerstören. Ein jeder Engel ist schrecklich.
to destroy us. Every angel is terrifying.
Und so verhalt ich mich [8] denn und verschlucke den Lockruf
And thus I hold myself back and choke down the luring call
dunkelen Schluchzens. [9] Ach, wen vermögen
of dark sobbing. Alas, whom are we able
wir denn zu brauchen? Engel nicht, Menschen nicht,
then to use? Not angels, not humans,
und die findigen Tiere merken es schon,
and the resourceful animals notice at once,
daß wir nicht sehr verläßlich zu Hause sind
that we are not reliably at home
in der gedeuteten Welt. [10] Es [11] bleibt uns vielleicht
in the conceptualized world. There remains for us perhaps
irgendein Baum an dem Abhang, daß wir ihn täglich
some tree hanging on the mountainside, which we could daily
wiedersähen; [12] es bleibt uns die Straße von gestern
see again; the street from yesterday remains for us
und das verzogene Treusein einer Gewohnheit,
and the over-indulged loyalty of a habit,
der es bei uns gefiel, [13] und so blieb sie und ging nicht.
which was pleased being with us, and so it stayed and did not depart.
O und die Nacht, die Nacht, [14] wenn der Wind voller Weltraum [15]
O and the night, the night, when the wind full of cosmic space
uns am Angesicht zehrt --, wem bliebe sie nicht, [16] die ersehnte,
knaws on our visage--for whom would it not linger, the longed for,
sanft enttäuschende, [17] welche [18] dem einzelnen Herzen
mildly disappointing night, which confronts the individual heart
mühsam bevorsteht. Ist sie den Liebenden [19] leichter?
effortfully. Is the night easier for lovers?
Ach, sie verdecken sich nur mit einander ihr Los.
Alas, they only conceal their fate from each other.
Weißt du's n o c h [20] nicht? Wirf aus den Armen die Leere
Do you s t i l l not know it? Throw the emptiness from your arms
zu den Räumen hinzu, die wir atmen; vielleicht daß die Vögel
into the spaces we breathe; perhaps that the birds
die erweiterte Luft fühlen [21] mit innigerm Flug.
will feel the extended air with more inward flight.
Ja, die Frühlinge brauchen dich wohl. Es muteten manche
Yes, the springtimes need you truly. Many stars charged you
Sterne dir zu, [22] daß du sie spürtest. Es hob [23]
to sense their presence. Arising in
sich eine Woge heran im Vergangenen, oder
the past, a wave surged towards you, [A]or
da du vorüberkamst [24]am geöffneten Fenster,
as you passed by an opened window
gab eine Geige sich hin. Das alles war Auftrag.
a violin gave of itself. All of that was a directive
Aber bewältigtest du's? Warst du nicht immer
But did you measure up to it? Were you not constantly
noch von Erwartung zerstreut, als kündigte alles
being distracted by expectation, as if everything were proclaiming
eine Geliebte dir an? [25] (Wo willst du sie bergen,
a lover to you? (Where do you hope to harbor them[B]
da doch die großen fremden Gedanken bei dir
--the great strange thoughts within you--
aus und ein gehn und öfters bleiben [26] bei Nacht.)
since they go out and in and often remain at night.)
Sehnt es dich aber, [27] so singe die Liebenden; lange
When longing stirs in you, then sing of the lovers; far
noch nicht unsterblich genug ist ihr berühmtes Gefühl.
from being sufficiently immortal is their famous feeling.
Jene, du neidest sie fast, Verlassenen, [28] die du
Those whom you almost envy, those abandoned ones, whom
so viel liebender fandst als die Gestillten. Beginn'
you found so much more loving than those who attained satisfaction. Begin
immer von neuem die nie zu erreichende Preisung; [29]
always from anew the never to be attained praising;
denk: es erhält sich der Held, [30] selbst der Untergang war ihm
Consider: The hero endures, even his downfall was only
nur ein Vorwand, zu sein: seine letzte Geburt.
a subfertuge for him to exist: his final birth.
Aber die Liebenden nimmt die erschöpfte Natur [31]
But exhausted nature takes lovers back into itself,
in sich zurück, als wären [32] nicht zweimal die Kräfte,
as if the strength were were not twice there
dieses zu leisten. Hast du der Gaspara Stampa
to achieve this. Have you sufficiently dwelled
denn genügend gedacht, [33] daß irgendein Mädchen,
on Gaspara Stampa, that any young girl,
dem der Geliebte entging, [34] am gesteigerten Beispiel
whose loved one has fled, from the intensified example,
dieser Liebenden fühlt: daß ich würde [35] wie sie?
of this loving one, might feel that I would become like her?
Sollen nicht endlich [36] uns diese ältesten Schmerzen
Should not these oldest of our sufferings
fruchtbarer werden? Ist es nicht Zeit, daß wir liebend
become more fruitful? Is it not time that we free ourselves
uns vom Geliebten befrein und es bebend bestehn: [37]
lovingly from our beloved and withstand it quiveringly;
wie der Pfeil die Sehne besteht, um gesammelt im Absprung
as the arrow withstands the bowstring, through the accumulated force of its release,
mehr zu sein als er selbst. Denn Bleiben ist nirgends.
to be more than itself. For remaining is nowhere.
Stimmen, Stimmen. Höre, mein Herz, wie sonst nur
Voices, voices. Hear, my heart, as only
Heilige hörten: daß sie der riesige Ruf
holy ones would hear: that the stupendous summons uplifted
aufhob vom Boden; [38] sie aber knieten,
them from the ground; they however kept on kneeling,
Unmögliche, [39] weiter und achtetens nicht:
those impossible ones, and took no notice:
So waren sie hörend. Nicht, daß du Gottes ertrügest
Thus they were listening. Not that you would of God endure
die Stimme, [40] bei weitem. Aber das Wehende höre, [41]
the voice, not by far. But hear the wafting,
die ununterbrochene Nachricht, die aus Stille sich bildet.
the uninterrupted message, which forms itself out of the stillness.
Es rauscht [42] jetzt von jenen jungen Toten zu dir.
It is now rustling to you from the early dead.
Wo immer du eintratst, redete nicht in Kirchen
Wherever you entered, were you not addressed in churches
zu Rom und Neapel ruhig ihr Schicksal dich an?
in Rome and Naples quietly of their fate?
Oder es trug eine Inschrift sich erhaben dir auf, [43]
Or an inscription elevatedly drew itself to your attention,
wie neulich die Tafel in Santa Maria Formosa.
as recently the tablet in Santa Maria Formosa.
Was sie mir wollen? Leise soll ich des Unrechts
What they desire of me? Gently am I to remove the appearance
Anschein [44] abtun, der ihrer Geister
of injustice, which oftentimes hinders a little
reine Bewegung [45] manchmal ein wenig behindert.
the pure movement of their spirits.
Freilich ist es seltsam, die Erde nicht mehr zu bewohnen,
It is indeed strange to no longer inhabit the earth,
kaum erlernte Gebräuche nicht mehr zu üben,
no longer to practice hardly learned customs,
Rosen, und andern eigens versprechenden Dingen
not to give to roses and other particularly promising things
nicht die Bedeutung menschlicher Zukunft zu geben; [46]
the meaning of a human future;
das, was man war in unendlich ängstlichen Händen,
that, which one was in endlessly anxious hands,
nicht mehr zu sein, und selbst den eigenen Namen
no longer to be, and even to dispense with one's
wegzulassen wie ein zerbrochenes Spielzeug.
name like a broken plaything.
Seltsam, die Wünsche nicht weiterzuwünschen. Seltsam,
Strange, not to continue wishing one's wishes, strange,
alles, was sich bezog, [47] so lose im Raume
to see everything which related now fluttering loosely
flattern zu sehen. Und das Totsein ist mühsam
in space. And the state of being dead is effortful
und voller Nachholn, [48] daß man allmählich ein wenig
and full of catching up, so that one gradually senses
Ewigkeit spürt.--Aber Lebendige machen
a little eternity. --But the living all make
alle den Fehler, daß sie zu stark unterscheiden.
the mistake, that they differentiate too strongly.
Engel (sagt man) wüßten [49] oft nicht, ob sie unter
Angels (it is said) would often not know, whether they
Lebenden gehn oder Toten. Die ewige Strömung
were among the living or the dead. The eternal streaming
reißt durch beide Bereiche alle Alter [50]
rips all ages constantly along with itself through both realms
immer mit sich und übertönt sie in beiden.
and drowns them out in both.
Schließlich brauchen sie uns nicht mehr, die Früheentrückten, [51]
Ultimately they no longer need us, those untimely taken,
man entwöhnt sich des Irdischen [52] sanft, wie man den Brüsten
one weans onself gently from earthly matters, as one
milde der Mutter entwächst. [53] Aber wir, die so große
mildly outgrows the mother's breasts. But we, who
Geheimnisse brauchen, denen aus Trauer so oft
need such large mysteries, to whom blessed progress often
seliger Fortschritt entspringt--: [54] k ö n n t e n [55] wir sein ohne sie?
springs forth from sorrow--: c o u l d we exist without them?
Ist die Sage umsonst, daß einst in der Klage um Linos
Is the legend in vain, that once, during the mourning for Linos,
wagende erste Musik dürre Erstarrung durchdrang, [56]
daring earliest music penetrated arid rigidity,
daß erst im erschrockenen Raum, [57] dem ein beinah göttlicher Jüngling
that in the shocked space which a nearly godly youth
plötzlich für immer enttrat, [58] das Leere in jene
suddenly exited for eternity, emptiness first fell into that
Schwingung geriet, die uns jetzt hinreißt und tröstet und hilft. [59]
oscillation which now entrances und consoles and helps us.
[1] schriee: Konjunktiv II of strong verb "schreien" (take Imperfekt "schrie," add "e" to get "schriee"). Do not pronounce "ee" as a long "e." First pronounce "schrie" and then the weak "e" sound.
[2] hörte: The word "schriee" has already indicated the Konjunktiv II, so the weak verb "hören" does not need the auxiliary verb "würde." In literary German you do not need the "würde" plus infinitive construction used in speaking, when there is a clear indication of Konjunktiv II.
[3] aus der Engel Ordnungen: "Engel" is masculine and the plural is "die Engel." Were "Engel" the object of the dative preposition aus, the article would be "den" and "Engel" would take an "n" becoming "Engeln." Here we have an example of a genitive construction placed before the thing or person possessed as in English "from the angels' orders." The normal form in German would be "aus den Ordnungen der Engel." According to Duden: "Die Voranstellung von Substantiven, die nicht Namen usw. sind, ist dichterischer Sprachgebrauch und dient der Hervorhebung: 'Das Wunder ist des Glaubens liebstes Kind' " (Goethe).
[4] Es: Anticipatory subject (either singular or plural) to accentuate the verb. The subject of the sentence is "einer," but were Rilke to have written "einer nähme mich. . . ," the main accent would be on "einer" and "nähme" would receive a secondary accent. As it stands the verb receives the main accent and the weaker pronoun form receives a weaker accent. The meter is primarily dactylic. Dactyl: A metrical foot consisting of one long syllable followed by two short ones. The elegiac couplet is a line of dactylic hexameter followed by a line of dactylic pentameter.
[5] nähme: Konjunktiv II of "nehmen" (take Imperfekt "nahm," add "e" and umlaut the stem vowel to get "nähme").
[6] verginge: Konjunktiv II of "vergehen" (Take Imperfekt "verging" and add first person "e" ending, once again creating the literary form without "würde").
[7] des Schrecklichen Anfang: Another transposed genitive. The normal form would be "der Anfang des Schrecklichen." Nominalisierung with the use of an adjective as an abstract noun. ("Schrecklich" is capitalized and must take the weak adjective ending after a genitive "der" word). Nominalisierung: The creation of an abstract noun from any part of speech. In German, all that is needed is to capitalize the word, be it verb, adverb, pronoun, past or present participle or conjunjction, and add the requisite case endings, if any. All such constructions are in the neuter gender.
[8] verhalt ich mich: The verb "verhalten" used reflexively means to behave or comport oneself. Normally it is used with an adverb such as "gut" or "brav." Since there is no such adverb present the verb must then have its normal meaning of "to restrain," "to control" or "to master." Translate as "I hold myself back. . . "
[9] Lockruf dunkelen Schluchzens: Unpreceeded adjective "dunkel" with pleonastic "e" (normally "dunkeln"), analogous to the pronunciation of the final "ed" in English for the sake of the meter: "And arts with they sweet graces gracèd be." (Shakespeare Sonnet 78) Unpreceded adjectives in masculine and neuter genitive take the weak ending "en" and not "es," since the noun, in this case the gerund "Schluchzens," itself has the "s" ending. Pleonastic: A superfluous word, phrase or letter.
[10] sind in der gedeuteten Welt: Hyperbaton. In normal Prose the "sind" would come at the end of the sentence "daß wir nicht sehr verläßlich zu Haus in der gedeuteten Welt sind." The translation of the word "deuten," the root of the past participial adjective in the dative case "gedeuteten," is very much a matter of conjecture. The normal translation is "interpreted." The Brockhaus definition of the word "deuten," itself is: "erkläre, suche Sinn herauszuholen." Which means "to make sense of" or "explain." Somewhat akin to "translate," but with a stronger sense of "seeking to make sense of" is the word "conceptualize." The animals live totally in their world, but we create concepts to encompass and give meaning to reality and live in a "conceptualized world." A hyperbaton is a figure of speech, using deviation from normal or logical word order to produce an effect.
[11] Es bleibt: Another example of an anticipatory "es" for the subject, in this case for "irgendein Baum."
[12] wiedersähen: Konjunktiv II form (Imperfekt "sah" with Konjunktiv ending "en" with umlaut) Rilke is heightening the tenuousness of existence by stressing the possibility that we would not see the tree on the mountainside or precipice. Thus the use of "could" in the translation.
[13] der es bei uns gefiel: The relative pronoun "der" is feminine singular dative referring to "Gewohnheit," since the word "gefallen" takes the dative. A convoluted literal translation would be "for whom it was pleasing to be with us."
[14] die Nacht, die Nacht: Epizeuxis. Epizeuxis is immediate repetition of words and phrases for emphasis.
[15] Wind voller Weltraum: "voller" has the meaning of English "full of": "die Stube voller Menschen"--"the room full of people;" "ein Garten voller Blumen"--"a garden full of flowers."
[16] wem bliebe sie nicht: Konjunktiv II of "bleiben." (Imperfekt "blieb" plus the third person singular subjective ending "e.")"For whom would it not remain. . .?" The subject "sie" refers back to "die Nacht, die Nacht."
[17] die ersehnte, sanft enttäuschende: Apposition to the pronoun subject "sie," in "wem bliebe sie und ging nicht" which refers back to "die Nacht." These two adjectives are formed from participles, the first from the past participle and the second from the present. Since they refer back to a stated noun,"die Nacht," they are not capitalized. Apposition is an explanatory noun or phrase normally placed after the noun explicated. In German it must be in the same case and set off with commas.
[18] welche According to Duden "Das Relativpronomen 'welcher, welche, welches,' Plural 'welche' wird in der gesprochenen Sprache kaum gebraucht. In der geschriebenen Sprache wird es noch öfter verwendet. . ." Frequently used in written German, rarely in spoken.
[19] Ist sie den Liebenden leichter?: Again "sie" refers back to "die Nacht."
[20] n o c h: Sperrdruck. In the original luxury and trade editions of the "Duineser Elegien" published in 1923 (the trade edition in an edition of 10,000!), italics were not used for emphasis, but rather Sperrdruck which is an extra space between each letter of a word. The only italics to be found are for the names of the people to whom Rilke dedicated Elegie 5 and Elegie 8. The present text follows that of the first editions. At the present time Sperrdruck is no longer used and is replaced by italics. Should you read a version of the Duineser Elegien edited by Professor Ernst Zinn, you will find a plethora of italicized words not in the first printings and not sanctioned by Rilke. The italics are acceptable, but not the amount. Sperrdruck: Spaced type formerly used for Italics and found in the Elegien. In modern editions replaced with italics.
[21] fühlen: hyperbaton. Normal word order would be "vielleicht daß die Vögel die erweiterte Luft mit innigerm Flug fühlen." A hyperbaton is a figure of speech, using deviation from normal or logical word order to produce an effect.
[22] Es muteten manche Sterne dir zu: "Es" is used to emphasize the verb (here the subject is the plural "manche Sterne," hence the plural form of the verb. The verb "zumuten" means "to expect something of somebody." There is a German expression: "
"Das ist eine Zumutung."
This means "What nerve!" or "That's asking a bit much!"
[23] Es hob: Another use of an anticipatory "es."
[24] vorüberkamst: Hyperbaton. Normal word order would be "oder da du am geöffneten Fenster vorüberkamst. . ." A hyperbaton is a figure of speech, using deviation from normal or logical word order to produce an effect.
[25] als kündgte alles eine Geliebte dir an: The weak verb "kündigte" is used in the Konjunktiv II, which is indicated by the word order. (There is no Konjunktiv II form for weak verbs) Normally the verb would come at the end because of the subordinating conjunction "als." When "als" is followed directly by the verb, it means the "ob" part of "als ob" has been left out. Compare to English "Had I only done it!" for "If I had only done it!."
[26] bleiben: Hyperbaton. Normal word order would be "da doch die großen fremden Gedanken bei dir aus und ein gehn und öfters bei Nacht bleiben." A hyperbaton is a figure of speech, using deviation from normal or logical word order to produce an effect.
[27] Sehnt es dich aber: An instance of beginning with the verb in place of a subordinate conjunction; in this case "wenn" has been eliminated.
[28] Jene, du neidest sie fast, Verlassenen: A sentence with the "sie" referring back to the demonstrative "jene," the noun in question "Verlassenen" only coming thereafter.
[29] die nie zu erreichende Preisung: The German reads ungramatically in English as "the never to attaining praising." In German the passive is often replaced by an infinitive phrase. "Das kann gemacht werden" becomes "Das ist zu machen." Using this as a pattern, the more idiomatic translation is "the never to be attained praising."
[30] es erhält sich der Held: Another anticipatory "es" emphasizing the verb and also the subject by its placement at the end of the sentence. "Denk, es erhält sich der Held" has a dactylic meter; "Der Held erhält sich." would be iambic Dactylic is a metrical foot of one accented syllable followed with two unaccented. The elegiac couplet is line of dactylic hexameter followed by a line of dactylic pentameter. iambic refers to a metrical foot consisting of a stressed syllable followed by an unstressed syllable.
[31] Aber die Liebenden nimmt die erschöpfte Natur in sich zurück: Notice that the subject is the singular "die erschöpfte Natur" and the plural "die Liebenden" the direct object because of the singular verb form "nimmt."
[32] als wären nicht zweimal die Kräfte, dieses zu leisten: The normal word order would be "als ob nicht zweimal die Kräfte wären, dieses zu leisten." Another instance of changing the position of the verb by eliminating the conjunction or, in this instance, part of the conjunction. (When "als" is followed directly by the verb, it means that the "ob" has been dropped.)
[33] der Gaspara Stampa denn genügend gedacht: The verb "gedenken" takes the genitive and means "to bring something or somebody to mind."
[34] dem der Geliebte entging: The "ent-" word, "entgehen," means to "go away from or flee." Verbs with the prefix "ent" mostly take the dative (or sometimes the genitive) normally with the connotation of "from." In this Elegie there are several examples of this prefix in the last subsection: "sich entwöhnen" (with genitive), "entwachsen" (with dative), "entspringen" (intransitive) and "enttreten" (with dative).
[35] würde: Konjunktiv II of "werden" (Imperfekt wurde with umlaut). German has a grammatical structure called "Indirekte Rede," ("indirect discourse") which uses preferably Konjunktiv I based on the infinitive or Konjunktiv II based on the Imperfekt. It allows the direct statement of another person to be stated indirectly in the same time frame as the statement. Usually used in the third person, but the present example is a rare use of going from the third to the first person, which seems like an abrupt shift in English. Translate as "that I would become like her,"
[36] nicht endlich: Hyperbaton. Normal word order would be "Sollen uns diese ältesten Schmerzen nicht endlich fruchtbarer werden?" A hyperbaton is a figure of speech, using deviation from normal or logical word order to produce an effect.
[37] befrein und es bebend bestehn: Alliteration with "bebend bestehn" coming after "befrein." Alliteration: the repetition of the sound of an initial consonant or consonant cluster in stressed syllables close enough to each other for the ear to be affected.
[38] Stimmen, Stimmen. Höre, mein Herz, wie sonst nur/Heilige hörten daß sie der riesige Ruf aufhob vom Boden: A sort of hysteron proteron, placing what is heard before the command to hear. "Stimmen, Stimmen" is also another use of an epizeuxis. Notice the extensive use of alliteration with the fourfold use of "h" with "Höre, mein Herz, wie sonst nur Heilige hörten" and thereafter the twofold use of "r" in "riesige Ruf." The verb "aufhob" is also a hyberbaton. Normal word order would be "daß sie der riesige Ruf vom Boden aufhob." A hysteron proteron is a figure of speech in which the natural or rational order of its terms is reversed. An epizeuxis is repetition with no words intervening. Alliteration is the repetition of the sound of an initial consonant or consonant cluster in stressed syllables close enough to each other for the ear to be affected.
[39] Unmögliche: In apposition to "sie" referring back to "Heilige." An unpreceeded adjective noun with the strong plural ending "e."
[40] dass du Gottes ertrügest die Stimme: Hyperbaton and Konjunktiv II. (The Imperfekt "ertrug" with the ending "e" and umlauting the stem vowel). Note the unusual interposition of the verb between the possessor "Gottes" and the possessed "die Stimme." Normal word order would be "nicht daß du Gottes Stimme ertrügest" The inversion is to maintain the prevailing dactylic meter. A hyperbaton is a figure of speech, using deviation from normal or logical word order to produce an effect. Dactyl: A metrical foot consisting of one long syllable followed by two short ones.
[41] das Wehende: Nominalisierung. An adjectival abstract noun formed from the present participle. Words like "das Wehende" are difficult to translate into English, since we have to say something like "that which is wafting." Nominalisierung: The creation of an abstract noun from any part of speech. In German, all that is needed is to capitalize the word, be it verb, adverb, pronoun, past or present participle or conjunjction, and add the requisite case endings, if any. All such constructions are in the neuter gender.
[42] Es rauscht: The "es" is an impersonal subject with the meaning "It is rustling . . . "
[43] Oder es trug eine Inschrift sich erhaben dir auf: "Jemandem etwas auftragen" means to charge somebody to do something. Since an inscription is inanimate, from simply being there it "charges itself to you" (to do something). Also a wordplay, since "erhaben" means elevated in both a physical and a spiritual sense. And also a personification, which is a manner of speech endowing nonhuman objects, abstractions, or creatures with life and human characteristics.
[44] des Unrechts Anschein,: Transposed genitive of "der Anschein des Unrechts."
[45] ihrer Geister reine Bewegung: Transposed genitive of "die reine Bewegung ihrer Geister."
[46] Rosen, und andern eigens versprechenden Dingen nicht die Bedeutung menschlicher Zukunft zu geben: The "n" endings on "andern" and "versprechenden" before the plural "Dingen" indicate the dative. The German reads literally "(to) Roses and (to)other especially promising things not the meaning of human future to give." Also note the strong genitive ending on "menschlicher."
[47] was sich bezog: Rilke uses verb "beziehen" with the meaning of "being in relation with" or "having a relation to." translate this phrase as "everything which related."
[48] voller Nachholn: "full of retrieving or making up for that that has been neglected."
[49] wüßten: Konjunktiv II of "wissen" (Imperfekt "wußte" plus umlaut) in the literary form without "würde."
[50] alle Alter: Alter is used in the plural as "all ages" and is the direct object. It means that all ages of people are being ripped from the living and carried over to the realm of the dead.
[51] die Früheentrückten: A personal noun created from the adverb "früh," with a pleonastic "e" along with a noun made from one of those "ent-" verbs: "entrücken" with the meaning of "the early carried off from ones" with an undertone of ecstasy ("entrückt" means "enraptured" or more literally "carried away from") Rilke's usage incorporates both meanings. The second meaning of "entrücken" in Der Sprach-Brockhaus is "[ich] nehme plötzlich weg."
[52] man entwöhnt sich des Irdischen: "sich entwöhnen" takes the genitive and means to "wean oneself from something." Here one is weaning oneself from the noun formed from the adjective "irdisch," another example of Nominalisierung. Nominalisierung: The creation of an abstract noun from any part of speech. In German, all that is needed is to capitalize the word, be it verb, adverb, pronoun, past or present participle or conjunjction, and add the requisite case endings, if any. All such constructions are in the neuter gender.
[53] wie man den Brüsten milde der Mutter entwächst: "entwachsen" takes the dative and means "to outgrow." Hyberbaton with the placement of the adverb "milde" before the genitive "der Mutter," although it is modifying the verb. The pleonastic "e" on "milde continues the dactylic meter. Hyperbaton: A figure of speech, using deviation from normal or logical word order to produce an effect. Dactyl is a metrical foot of one accented syllable followed with two unaccented. Pleonastic means A superfluous word, phrase or letter.
[54] denen aus Trauer so oft seliger Fortschritt entspringt: "entspringen aus" means to originate from" and the dative "denen" indicates the beneficiaries of this process. "for whom mourning is often the source of blessèd progress."
[55] k ö n n t e n: Konjunktiv II form of "können." (Imperfekt "konnte" with umlaut). Second of two uses of Sperrdruck in this Elegie. Sperrdruck: Spaced type formerly used for Italics and found in the Elegien. In modern editions replaced with italics.
[56] wagende erste Musik dürre Erstarrung durchdrang: "wagende" is a personification. The phrase "dürre Erstarrung durchdrang" in its concentrated compactness exemplifies the "barren bednumbment" or "arid rigidity" of the world before music. Personification: As a manner of speech endowing nonhuman objects, abstractions, or creatures with life and human characteristics.
[57] im erschrockenen Raum: The "Kommentierte Ausgabe" gave the preceding line as an example of Enallage, but I believe they meant this line, since the people in the "Raum" are shocked and not the "Raum" itself. It states: "Rhetorische Figur der Enallage, d.i. 'falsche Zuordnung eines Adjektives'. . . in den Elegien häufiges Stilmittel, um den Bezug von Ding- und Raummetaphern auf das eigentliche gemeinte menschliche Innere zu verdeutlichen. Also a type of Personification, since a room cannot be shocked. Enallage The use of one grammatical form in some way incorrectly in place of another, as the plural for the singular in the editorial use of "we." The basic meaning is an exchange, which can also include using an adjective with the wrong noun as in "enttäuscht wie ein Postamt am Sonntag," Personification is a manner of speech, endowing nonhuman objects, abstractions, or creatures with life and human characteristics.
[58] entrat: the word "enttreten" has been formed using the prefix "ent-" which conveys the idea of "from" or "away" with the verb "treten" signifying "to quit," "to step out of" or "to exit."
[59] hinreißt und tröstet und hilft: an example of polysyndeton. Normal would be "hinreißt, tröstet und hilft." Polysyndeton is the repetition of conjunctions, normally "and."
[A] Arising in the past, a wave surged toward you: The difference between "Welle" and "Woge" is central to the meaning. A "Welle" is the "surface manifestation of a wave," a "Woge" is a "large wave." The verb "wogen" means something like "wages" in the sense of "waging war, as well as surging like a wave." The "heran" means "towards you."
[B] it: Grammatically, the "sie" (which can be third person singular or plural) refers to "die Geliebten," but makes little logical contextual sense; it could also refer to "Erwartung," if you consider the subjunctive clause as parenthetical; however, the most convincing case is that the "sie" precedes its antecedent "die großen fremden Gedanken" See footnote 28 for a similar usage. To clarify this in English, I reversed the order and further pinpointed the "sie."