JEDER Engel ist schrecklich. Und dennoch, weh mir
EVERY angel is terrible. And yet, woe unto me,
ansing ich euch, [1] fast tödliche Vögel der Seele, [2]
I sing your praises, nearly lethal birds of the soul,
wissend um euch. [3] Wohin sind die Tage Tobiae,
knowing about you. Whither are the days of Tobias,
da der Strahlendsten einer stand [4] an der einfachen Haustür,
when one of the most radiant stood at the simple house door,
zur Reise ein wenig verkleidet und schon nicht mehr furchtbar;
dressed up a little for traveling and already no longer frightening,
(Jüngling dem Jüngling, [5] wie er neugierig hinaussah).
(Youth to youth, as he curiously looked outwards).
Träte der Erzengel jetzt, [6] der gefährliche, [7] hinter den Sternen [8]
Were the archangel, the dangerous one, from behind the stars
eines Schrittes [9] nur nieder und herwärts: hochauf-
to take just one step downwards and toward us, awestruck,
schlagend erschlüg uns das eigene Herz. [10] Wer seid ihr?
our own high-beating heart would strike us dead. Who then are you?
Frühe Geglückte, ihr Verwöhnten [11] der Schöpfung,
Early successes, you pampered by creation,
Höhenzüge, morgenrötliche Grate
elevated ranges, dawn-reddened ridges
aller Erschaffung, -- Pollen der blühenden Gottheit,
of all conception.,--pollen of the blooming godhead,
Gelenke des Lichtes, Gänge, Treppen, Throne,
hinges of light, passages, steps, thrones,
Räume aus Wesen, Schilde aus Wonne, Tumulte
spaces of essence, shields of ecstasy, tumults
stürmisch entzückten Gefühls und plötzlich, einzeln,
of passionately enraptured feelings, and suddenly, isolated
Spiegel, [12] die die entströmte eigene Schönheit
mirrors, which sculpt their own outstreamed beauty
wiederschöpfen zurück in das eigene Antlitz. [13]
back into their own visage.
Denn wir, wo wir fühlen, verflüchtigen; ach wir
For we, where we feel, evaporate away, oh, we
atmen uns aus und dahin; von Holzglut zu Holzglut [14]
breathe ourselves out and away; from glowing ember to glowing ember
geben wir schwächern [15] Geruch. Da sagt uns wohl einer:
we give off a weaker aroma. A person may well say to us:
ja, du gehst mir ins Blut, dieses Zimmer, der Frühling
Yes, you are getting into my blood, this room, springtime
füllt sich mit dir. . . Was hilfts, er kann uns nicht halten,
is filling itself with you...What good does it do, he cannot hold us,
wir schwinden in ihm und um ihn. Und jene, die schön sind, [16]
We dwindle away in him and around him. And those, who are beautiful,
o wer hält sie zurück? Unaufhörlich steht Anschein
O, who holds them back. Ceaselessly appearance arises
auf in ihrem Gesicht und geht fort. Wie Tau von dem Frühgras
in their faces and then departs. As dew from early morning grass
hebt sich das Unsre, [17] von uns, wie die Hitze von einem
that which is ours lifts itself from us, as the heat from a
heißen Gericht. O Lächeln, wohin? [18] O Aufschaun:
hot plate of food. O smiling, whither? O upward glance:
neue, warme, entgehende Welle des Herzens--; [19]
new, warm, dissipating wave of the heart--:
weh mir: wir s i n d s [20] doch. Schmeckt denn der Weltraum,
woe unto me: but that's what we a r e. Does the cosmic space
in den wir uns lösen, nach uns? Fangen die Engel
into which we dissolve taste of us? Do the angels really only
wirklich nur Ihriges [21] auf, ihnen Entströmtes, [22]
catch back that which was theirs, that which has outstreamed from them,
oder ist manchmal, wie aus Versehen, ein wenig
or is ofttimes, as if out of neglect, a little
unseres Wesens dabei? Sind wir in ihre
of our essense intermingled? Are we in their
Züge soviel nur [23] gemischt wie das Vage in die Gesichter
features only as much mixed as the vague look in the faces
schwangerer Frauen? Sie merken es nicht in dem Wirbel
of pregnant women? They notice it not in their whirling
ihrer Rückkehr zu sich. (Wie sollten sie's merken.)
return to themselves. (How should they notice it?)
Liebende könnten, verstünden sie's, [24] in der Nachtluft
Lovers could, were they to understand how, speak wonderously
wunderlich, [25] reden. Denn es scheint, daß uns alles
in the night air. For it seems everything
verheimlicht. [26] Siehe, die Bäume sind; die Häuser,
keeps us a secret. Look, the trees a r e; the houses
die wir bewohnen, bestehn noch. Wir nur
which we inhabit, continue to exist. We alone
ziehen allem vorbei [27] wie ein luftiger [28] Austausch.
pass by everything as an ethereal exchange.
Und alles ist einig, uns zu verschweigen, halb als
And everything is united in keeping silent about us, half
Schande vielleicht und halb als unsägliche Hoffnung.
out of shame and half as an unutterable hope.
Liebende, euch, ihr ineinander Genügten, [29]
Lovers, you who are contented each in the other,
frag ich nach uns. Ihr greift euch. Habt ihr Beweise?
you I ask about us. You grasp each other. Do you have proof?
Seht, mir geschiehts, daß meine Hände einander
Look, it happens that my hands are aware
inne werden, [30] oder daß mein gebrauchtes
of each other or that my used-up
Gesicht in ihnen sich schont. Das gibt mir ein wenig
face finds refuge in them. That gives me a little
Empfindung. Doch wer wagte darum schon zu sein?
sensation. But who dares just for that to be?
Ihr aber, die ihr, [31] im Entzücken des anderen, [32]
You, however, you who flourish in the rapture of the other,
zunehmt, bis er [33] euch überwältigt
until, overwhelmed, he
anfleht: nicht m e h r --; [34] die ihr, [35] unter den Händen
implores: no m o r e--; you who under each other's hands
euch reichlicher werdet wie Traubenjahre; [36]
become ever more bountiful like grapes enriched year by year;
die ihr [37] manchmal vergeht, nur weil der andre [38]
you who oftimes vanish, only because the other
ganz überhandnimmt: euch [39] frag ich nach uns. Ich weiß,
has completely taken charge: It is you I ask about us. I know
ihr berüht euch so selig, weil die Liebkosung verhält, [40]
you touch each other so blissfully, because the caress endures,
weil die Stelle nicht schwindet, die ihr, Zärtliche, [41]
because the place which you, tender ones, cover does not wither away,
zudeckt; weil ihr darunter das reine
because under it you both sense
Dauern verspürt. So versprecht ihr euch Ewigkeit fast
pure permanence. Thus you promise each other eternity almost
von der Umarmung. Und doch, wenn ihr der ersten
from the first embrace. And yet, when you have withstood the first
Blicke Schrecken [42] besteht und die Sehnsucht am Fenster,
glance's fright and the longing at the window
und den ersten gemeinsamen Gang, e i n mal [43] durch den Garten:
and the first walk together, o n e time through the garden:
Liebende, seid ihrs dann noch? [44] Wenn ihr einer dem andern [45]
Lovers, are you still lovers? When you take the other to
euch an den Mund hebt und ansetzt --: Getränk an Getränk: [46]
your lips and commence--;drink upon drink:
o wie entgeht dann der Trinkende [47] seltsam der Handlung.
O how strangely then escapes from the drinker the act itself.
Erstaunte euch nicht auf attischen Stelen die Vorsicht
Were you not astonished on Attic steles by the caution
menschlicher Geste? war nicht Liebe und Abschied
of human gestures? Was not love and parting
so leicht auf die Schultern gelegt, als wär es aus anderm
so lightly laid upon their shoulders, as if made out
Stoffe [48] gemacht als bei uns? Gedenkt euch der Hände, [49]
of different material than with us? Call to mind the hands,
wie die drucklos beruhen, obwohl in den Torsen die Kraft steht.
how they touch each other without pressure, although power resides in the torsos.
Diese Beherrschten wußten damit: [50] so weit sind wirs,
These self-controlled ones knew thereby: so far are we,
dieses ist unser, uns so zu berühren; stärker
this is ours, to be able to touch each other in this way; much stronger
stemmen die Götter uns an. Doch dies ist Sache der Götter.
thrust against us the gods. But that is a matter for the gods.
Fänden auch wir [51] ein reines, verhaltenes, schmales
Could we but find a pure, restrained, narrow
Menschliches, [52] einen unseren Streifen [53] Fruchtlands
humanness, our own strip of fruitland,
zwischen Strom und Gestein. Denn das eigene Herz übersteigt uns
between stream and rock. For our own heart still surmounts us
noch immer wie jene. [54] Und wir können ihm [55] nicht mehr
just as it did for those others. And we can no longer
nachschauen in Bilder, [56] die es [57] besänftigen, noch in
envision it through images, which soothe it, nor through
göttliche Körper, in denen es [58] größer sich mäßigt.
godlike bodies, in which it more forcibly constrains itself .
[1] ansinge ich euch: Hyperbaton. Normal word order would be "ich singe euch an." The action of the verb is thereby emphasized by placing the whole verb at the beginning of the phrase. Also to continue the dactylic meter. Hyperbaton: A figure of speech, such as anastrophe or hysteron proteron, using deviation from normal or logical word order to produce an effect. Dactyl is metrical foot consisting of one long syllable followed by two short ones.
[2] fast tödliche Vögel der Seele: In apposition to "euch" which refers back to "Engel." Notice the shift from the singular "Jeder Engel" to the plural "euch." 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.
[3] wissend um euch: Present participial phrase referring to the speaker, i.e. poet.
[4] der Strahlendsten einer stand: Transposed genitive for "einer der Strahlendsten" in order to continue the prevalent dactylic meter. The word order is also a hyperbaton. The normal order would be "da der Strahlendsten einer an der einfachen Haustür stand." Hyperbaton: A figure of speech, such as anastrophe or hysteron proteron, 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.
[5] Jüngling dem Jüngling: "Youth to youth." The angel appeared to the young Tobias to be a normal youth and not a Rilkean lethal angel. Also an example of diacope with the repetition of Jüngling with "dem" in between. A diacope is a repetition with only a word or two between: "Villain, damned smiling villain."
[6] Träte der Erzengel jetzt: "Wenn der Erzengel jetzt träte." Konjunktiv II of treten (Imperfekt "trat" with umlaut and third person singular subjective ending "e"). Another example of eliminating the conjunction "wenn."
[7] der gefährliche: Apposition to "der Erzengel" in the nominative, since "Erzengel" is the subject of the clause. Not capitalized, because it is an adjective, referring back to a noun. 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.
[8] hinter den Sternen: The "den" indicates that this is a dative phrase and therefore gives the location of the angels as "behind the stars" and not where they are stepping, which is explained in the next clause.
[9] eines Schrittes: An absolute genetive not being possessed by anybody or anything. A somewhat archaic construction found today in phrases like "eines Tages."
[10] hochaufschlagend erschlüg uns das eigene Herz: Konjunktiv II of "erschlagen" (Imperfekt "erschlug" with umlaut, lacking the normal subjunctive "e" ending for the sake of the meter. (The umlaut avoids any ambiguity.) This is an apocope As previously stated, the conversational "würde" is not necessary in literary works. Also note the use of the polyptoton, since "hochauf-schlagend" and "erschlüg" both are forms of the verb "schlagen." The present participle "schlagend" which begins the line means "beating." However, the verb "erschlagen" is an example of the "er"- prefix which means to consequently carry out the action of the verb, in the case of violent verbs "to kill." Some examples are "ertrinken, erwürgen, erschiessen, erstechen, etc." The "hoch" could then mean that the heart is high beating or quickly beating when the human impacts on high against the death-dealing angel. A French translation by J.F.Angelloz reads thus: "dans son elan vers lui, le battement de notre propre coeur nous abbatrait." The participle "battement" in Frenc means "beating" and abbatrait, the conditional form of "abbatre" has "to kill" as one of its meanings. My translation tries to preserve the polyptoton, since the word "hochaufschlagend" is virtually untranslatable, containing both the idea of striking something "aufschlagend" and "highly (or strongly) beating. The "hoch" could also refer to striking the angel on high. Apocope: The loss of one or more sounds from the end of a word. Polyptoton: The repetition of the same word or root in different grammatical functions or forms.
[11] ihr Verwöhnten: Apostrophe using the second person familiar plural form "ihr." The noun "Verwöhnten," which is formed from the verb "verwöhnen" takes the weak "en" the same as if it were preceeded by the definite article in the nominative: "die Verwöhnten." Duden: "ihr Getreue/ihr Getreuen: Im Nominativ Plural hat sich heute die schwache Deklination gegenüber der starken durchgesetzt. Es muß also heißen: ihr Getreuen." Apostrophe: The direct address of an absent or imaginary person or of a personified abstraction, especially as a digression in the course of a speech.
[12] Höhenzüge, morgenrötliche Grate aller Erschaffung, -- Pollen der blühenden Gottheit, Gelenke des Lichtes, Gänge, Treppen, Throne, Räume aus Wesen, Schilde aus Wonne Tumulte stürmisch entzückten Gefühls und plötzlich, einzeln, Spiegel: A series of ever more abstract and extravagent Metaphors leading to a Climax at the word "Spiegel," preceded by the words "plötzlich" and "einzeln," which serve to suddenly unify all the images in the final climactic resolution. The phrase Tumulte stürmisch entzückten Gefühls features the unpreceded adjective "entzückten" in the genitiv neuter case, which takes the ending "en" and not the normal "es" ending of "der" and "ein" words. Climax is a series of statements or ideas in an ascending order of rhetorical force or intensity. Metaphor: A figure of speech in which a word or phrase that ordinarily designates one thing is used to designate another, thus making an implicit comparison, "a sea of troubles" or "All the world's a stage."
[13] die die entströmte eigene Schönheit wiederschöpfen zurück in das eigene Antlitz: Hyperbaton. Normal word order would be "die die entströmte eigene Schönheit in das eigene Antlitz wiederschöpfen." Also note the use of "Antlitz" meaning "visage" instead of the normal word "Gesicht." The translation of the word "wiederschöpfen" is difficult, because the word "schöpfen" has two disparate meanings. One is to "scoop" or "ladle"; the other is to "create" or "bring forth." To translate "wiederschöpfen" with "scoop back" or "gather back" misses the "recreate" aspect. I believe Rilke intended both meanings simultaneously and have chosen to use "sculpt," because it conforms with the image, is active and sounds much better than "scoop." Hyperbaton: A figure of speech, such as anastrophe or hysteron proteron, using deviation from normal or logical word order to produce an effect.
[14] von Holzglut zu Holzglut: Diacope. Diacope: repetition with only a word or two between: "Villain, damned smiling villain."
[15] schwächern: An example of syncope, since the letter "e" has been omitted from the comparative "schwächeren" to not have three unaccented syllables in a row. Somewhat distracting, because it looks like an "ern" verb. (which it isn't.) Syncope is the shortening of a word by omission of a sound, letter, or syllable from the middle of the word; for example, bos'n for boatswain.
[16] jene, die schön sind: An anastrophe, since this phrase is the antecedent for the direct object "sie" in the next phrase "o wer hält sie zurück?" Anastrophe: Inversion of the normal syntactic order of words.
[17] das Unsre: One way of saying "ours" with the possessive adjective being used as a noun. Another even more formal construction would be "das Unsrige."
[18] O Lächeln, wohin?: A special form of Ellipsis called scesis onamaton. The verb of motion has been omitted and incorporated within the interrogative "wohin." Ellipsis: The omission of a word or phrase necessary for a complete syntactical construction, but not necessary for understanding. Scesis onamaton: Omission of the only verb of a sentence.
[19] O Aufschauen: neue, warme, entgehende Welle des Herzens: Scesis onamaton. The "wohin" serves also for this phrase which not only has no verb, but also no interrogative indicating motion. It compensates with the present participle "entgehend" indicating a movement of escaping or dissipating. Scesis onamaton: Omission of the only verb of a sentence.
[20] s i n d s: The first of three emphasized words in this elegy in the first edition. As mentioned in the notes to the Elegie 1, Sperrdruck was used instead of italics. Since the word "s i n d" is somewhat emphasized by the word "doch" without Sperrdruck," the added emphasis idicates significant stress on this word. Incidently, the Sperrdruck visually indicates that the pronunciation should be drawn out adding an agogic accent to the stress accent. Sperrdruck: Spaced type formerly used for Italics and found in the Elegien. Agogic Accent: An accent caused by relative prolongation of the word to be emphasized. Common in French poetry.
[21] nur Ihriges: Another way of saying "theirs" using an umpreceded form.
[22] ihnen Entströmtes: Ellipsis. Since "entströmen" (which means "streamed from") takes the dative, "das ihnen Entströmte" would mean "that which has streamed away from them." Rilke has just left off the article and used the strong adjective neuter ending for an indefinite concept. Also a Nominalisierung since the abstract noun is formed from the past participle. Ellipsis: The omission of a word or phrase necessary for a complete syntactical construction, but not necessary for understanding. 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.
[23] nur: Hyperbaton: Normally the "nur" would come before "soviel." Normal word order would be "Sind wir in ihre Züge nur soviel gemischt . . . " Again for the prevalent dactylic meter. Hyperbaton: A figure of speech, such as anastrophe or hysteron proteron, 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.
[24] verstünden sie's: Short for "wenn sie es verstünden." The Konjunktiv II of "verstehen" has an irregular stem not based on the Imperfekt, but on the obsolete Imperfekt plural stem "verstund," which is umlauted plus the third person plural subjunctive ending "en." Another example of dropping the "wenn" for emphasis. Note the Synaloepha of "sie's" Synaloepha: Omission of a vowel to contract two words into one such as "don't," "it's."
[25] wunderlich: The word "wunderlich" does not mean "wonderfully," but rather "strange," "odd," "curious" or "quaint." None of these fit the context, so the archaic word "wundrously" with the meaning of "to a remarkable extent" seems the mot juste.
[26] daß uns alles verheimlicht: The word "verheimlichen" normally means "to conceal," but with the later "ver-" word "verschweigen" which means to "keep us silent" or to "keep silent about us," the meaning seems to tend toward "keeping us a secret."
[27] allem vorbei: An ellipsis since the "an" of "an allem vorbei" has been omitted. Ellipsis: The omission of a word or phrase necessary for a complete syntactical construction, but not necessary for understanding.
[28] luftig: The simple translation is "aery," but misses the importance Rilke attaches to the act of breathing. (Here presented in a negative or trivial light.) Since the origin of the word "ether" comes from the Middle English word meaning "the upper or bright air," the adjective formed therefrom seems appropriate. "Ethereal" means "resembling ether in lightness; impalpable; intangible."
[29] ihr ineinander Genügten: Apostrophe with weak ending on the adjectival noun "Genügten" after "ihr." (See footnote 11.) Apostrophe: The direct address of an absent or imaginary person or of a personified abstraction, especially as a digression in the course of a speech.
[30] inne werden: "To become aware." Literally "to become inward."
[31] die ihr: Apostrophe. According to Duden: "Bezieht sich ein Relativpronomen auf eine 1. oder 2. Person, dann wird das betreffende Personalpronomen heute meist wiederholt. Das Prädicat richtet sich dann nach der Person des Personalpronomens: 'Du, der du so etwas erlebt.'" The lovers are directly addressed and then followed by three relative clauses beginning with "die ihr." The threefold repetition of the "die ihr" at the beginning of three successive clause is an anaphora. Apostrophe: The direct address of an absent or imaginary person or of a personified abstraction, especially as a digression in the course of a speech. Anaphora: The deliberate repetition of a word or phrase at the beginning of several successive verses, clauses, or paragraphs.
[32] des anderen: Although "des" is the masculine form, it could refer to either the male or the female of the lovers.
[33] er: Although masculine, it refers back to des anderen and could be masculine or feminine.
[34] nicht m e h r: Second use of "Sperrdruck" in this Elegy. Normally the "nicht" would receive the accent; therefore, the emphasis is needed to both lengthen and stress "m e h r." Sperrdruck: Spaced type formerly used for Italics and found in the Elegien.
[35] die ihr: The second part of the anaphora. Anaphora: The deliberate repetition of a word or phrase at the beginning of several successive verses, clauses, or paragraphs;.
[36] euch reichlicher werdet wie Traubenjahre: Ellipsis. The whole sentence would be "euch reichlicher werdet, wie Traubenjahre reichlicher werden." The idea being that the grapes become enriched with each succeeding year of growth in the same way that the lovers become more bountiful to each other. Ellipsis: The omission of a word or phrase necessary for a complete syntactical construction, but not necessary for understanding.
[37] die ihr: the third part of the anaphora. Anaphora: The deliberate repetition of a word or phrase at the beginning of several successive verses, clauses, or paragraph.
[38] der andre: Another example of the masculine used to indicate both sexes.
[39] euch: Direct object of fragen and refers back to the whole extended apostrophe preceding it. Apostrophe: The direct address of an absent or imaginary person or of a personified abstraction, especially as a digression in the course of a speech.
[40] verhält: This verb is normally used either transitively meaning "to restrain" or reflexively meaning "to behave or "to comport oneself." The transitive meaning does not fit the context. A similar problem with this verb occurred at the beginning of the Elegie 1, where he used it reflexively to mean "to restrain." From the context, there is no self-restraint intended. Rather the idea of "halten," "to hold" or "continue" seems to prevail.
[41] Zärtliche: This is an Appositiv which must agree with the preceeding element, which is in the nominative; therefore, the strong "e" ending. 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.
[42] der ersten Blicke Schrecken: Reverse genitive of "das Schrecken der ersten Blicke."
[43] e i n mal: The last use of Sperrdruck in this Elegy. Changes a weak accent into an emphatic one, demonstrating that this eternal love disintegrates after o n e walk through the garden. Sperrdruck: Spaced type formerly used for Italics and found in the Elegien.
[44] seid ihrs dann noch: The Synaloepha of "ihrs" which is short for "ihr es" visually depicts the temporary oneness of the lovers. Synaloepha: Omission of a vowel to contract two words into one such as "don't," "it's."
[45] dem andern: Another use of the masculine as either masculine or feminine.
[46] Getränk an Getränk: Diacope. Diacope: Repetition with only a word or two between: "Villain, damned smiling villain."
[47] entgeht dann der Trinkende seltsam der Handlung: Another "ent- word" taking the dative. "Der Ttrinkende" could also stand for "die Trinkende."
[48] als wär es aus anderm Stoffe gemacht: Short form of "als ob es aus anderm Stoffe gemacht wäre." Note the missing "e" of "wär," which is an apocope. Apocope: The loss of one or more sounds from the end of a word.
[49] Gedenkt euch der Hände: The verb "gedenken" used with the genitive meaning "Call forth to your memory . . . "
[50] damit: It literally means "with that" but conveying the meaning that "the self- controlled ones knew thereby . . ."
[51] Fänden auch wir: Konjunktiv II of finden (Imperfekt "fand" with umlaut and subjunctive plural ending "en.") Again the dropping of the "wenn" before the subjunctive.
[52] Menschliches: "Humanness." Nominalisierung. Adjectival abstract noun formed from "menschlich" with the strong neuter "es" ending after "ein." A similar word is "das Göttliche" which means "Godliness." Such abstract nouns formed from adjectives are neuter in German. 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] einen unseren Streifen: In apposition to "Menschliches" which is the direct object of "fände" and its apposition must also be in the accusative case. German does not have to use a "von" as in English "one of our strips," but rather can use the article and the possessive both in the relevant case as in "einen unseren." Also note the missing "Wenn." 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.
[54] jene: Convoluted ellipsis whereby the subject and the predicate of the preceding phrase "das eigene Herz übersteigt uns" are presupposed and the "jene" refering back to "die Beherrschten" (three sentences back!) is the direct object. The whole sentence would then be "Denn das eigene Herz übersteigt uns, wie das eigene Herz jene [Beherrschten] überstieg." The literal meaning is "The own heart goes beyond us in the same way that their own heart went beyond them." To allow this double duty Rilke used "das eigene Herz" instead of "unser Herz." Ellipsis: The omission of a word or phrase necessary for a complete syntactical construction, but not necessary for understanding.
[55] Ihm: "Ihm" refers to "das Herz, das uns übersteigt" and is in the dative because of the verb "nachschauen."
[56] in Bilder: Notice that both "Bilder" and "göttliche Körper" are in the accusative indicating abstract motion.
[57] es: Also refers to "das Herz das uns übersteigt". Here in the accusative.
[58] es Again refers to "das Herz das uns übersteigt" and is in the nominative.