EINES ist, die Geliebte zu singen. Ein anderes, wehe,
It is one thing to sing of your beloved. It is, alas, quite different
jenen verborgenen schuldigen Fluß-Gott des Bluts. [1]
regarding that concealed guilty river god of the blood.
Den [2] sie von weitem erkennt, ihren Jüngling, was weiß er
The one she recognizes from afar, her young man, what does he know
selbst von dem Herren [3] der Lust, der aus dem Einsamen oft,
himself of that master of desire, who often out of the lonely one,
ehe das Mädchen noch linderte, oft auch als wäre sie nicht,
before the girl could give him solace, often as if she were not there,
ach, von welchem Unkenntlichen triefend, das Gotthaupt
oh, dripping from which unknowingness, raised up the godhead,
aufhob, aufrufend [4] die Nacht zu unendlichem Aufruhr.
calling forth the night to unceasing uproar.
O des Blutes Neptun, [5] o sein furchtbarer Dreizack.
Oh Neptune in the blood, o his fearful trident.
O der dunkele Wind seiner Brust aus gewundener Muschel.
Oh the dark wind of his breast out of that spiral shell.
Horch, wie die Nacht sich muldet und höhlt. Ihr Sterne, [6]
Hearken, how the night hollows and depresses itself. You stars,
stammt nicht von euch des Liebenden Lust [7] zu dem Antlitz
does not the lover's desire for the countenance of his beloved
seiner Geliebten? Hat er die innige Einsicht
stem from you? Does he not receive that intimate insight
in ihr reines Gesicht nicht aus dem reinen Gestirn?
into the innocence in her face from the purity of the constellations?
Du [8] nicht hast ihm, wehe, nicht seine Mutter [9]
It was not you, alas, not his mother
hat ihm die Bogen der Brau'n [10] so zur Erwartung gespannt.
who arched his brows thus in expectation.
Nicht an dir, ihn fühlendes Mädchen, an dir nicht [11]
Not on you, girl feeling him, on you not
bog seine Lippe sich zum fruchtbarern Ausdruck. [12]
did his lips form themselves into that more fruitful expression.
Meinst du wirklich, ihn hätte dein leichter Auftritt
Do you really believe, your gentle entrance could
also erschüttert, du, die [13] wandelt wie Frühwind?
have so thrilled him, you, who wander like a morning breeze?
Zwar du erschrakst ihm [14] das Herz; doch ältere Schrecken
Indeed, you gave his heart a fright; but more ancient terrors
stürzten in ihn bei dem berührenden Anstoß.
surged into him from the shock of your touch.
Ruf ihn . . . du rufst ihn nicht ganz aus dunkelem [15] Umgang.
Call him...you will not quite call him away from those dark associations.
Freilich, er w i l l, [16] er entspringt; erleichtert gewöhnt er
Doubtlessly, he w a n t s to, he springs forth; relieved he accustoms
sich in dein heimliches Herz und nimmt und beginnt sich.
himself into your secret heart and takes and begins himself.
Aber begann er sich je?
But did he ever really begin himself?
Mutter, d u [17] machtest ihn klein, du warsts, die ihn anfing;
Mother, y o u made him small, it was you who began him;
dir war er neu, du beugtest über die neuen
he was new to you, you spanned the friendly world over those
Augen die freundliche Welt und wehrtest [18] der fremden.
new eyes and averted them from the strange one.
Wo, ach, hin sind die Jahre, da du ihm einfach
Where, oh where are the years when you, armed only
mit der schlanken Gestalt wallendes Chaos vertratst? [19]
with your slim form, simply obstructed him from seething chaos?
Vieles verbargst du ihm so; das nächtlich verdächtige Zimmer
Many things you concealed from him in this way; made
machtest du harmlos, aus deinem Herzen voll Zuflucht [20]
the nightly suspicious room harmless, out of your heart full of refuge
mischtest du menschlichern [21] Raum seinem Nacht-Raum hinzu.
you mixed more humane space into his night-space.
Nicht in die Finsternis, nein, in dein näheres Dasein [22]
Not into the darkness, no, into your closer being
hast du das Nachtlicht gestellt, und es schien wie aus Freundschaft.
did you place the night light, and it shone as if from friendliness.
Nirgends ein Knistern, das du nicht lächelnd erklärtest,
Nowhere a creaking that you did not smilingly explain,
so als wüßtest du längst, [23] w a n n [24] sich die Diele benimmt . . .
as if you had long since known, w h e n the floorboards would behave that way...
Und er horchte und linderte sich. So vieles vermochte
And he listened and was assuaged. So much gentle influence
zärtlich dein Aufstehn; hinter den Schrank trat
did your arising exert; from behind the cupboard stepped
hoch im Mantel sein Schicksal, und in die Falten des Vorhangs
tall his destiny in a topcoat, and his restless future,
paßte, die leicht sich verschob, [25] seine unruhige Zukunft.
fit into the folds of the curtain, which easily disarranged themselves.
Und er selbst, wie er lag, der Erleichterte, unter
And he himself, as he lay, the assuaged one, under
schläfernden Lidern deiner leichten Gestaltung
drowsy eyelids, detaching the sweetness
Süße lösend in den gekosteten Vorschlaf--: [26]
of your gentle form into the already tasted coming sleep--:
schien ein Gehüteter . . . Aber innen: wer wehrte,
appeared to be a protected one. . . But within: who arrested,
hinderte innen in ihm die Fluten der Herkunft?
hindered inward within him the floods of his origin?
Ach, da war keine Vorsicht im Schlafenden; schlafend, [27]
Alas, there was no caution in the one sleeping, sleeping,
aber träumend, aber in Fiebern: wie er sich einließ.
but dreaming, but feavering:how he let himself in for it.
Er, der Neue, Scheuende, wie er verstrickt war,
He, the new, the shying away one, how he was entangled
mit des innern Geschehns weiterschlagenden Ranken, [28]
in the tendrils of inward events striking out ever farther,
schon zu Mustern verschlungen, zu würgendem Wachstum, zu tierhaft
already intertwined into patterns, into strangling growth, into bestial
jagenden Formen. Wie er sich hingab -- . Liebte.
hunting forms. How he gave himself up to it--:Loved.
Liebte sein Inneres, seines Inneren Wildnis,
Loved his interior, his interior's wilderniss,
diesen Urwald in ihm, auf dessen stummem Gestürztsein
this forest primeval within himself, upon whose mute precipitous being
lichtgrün sein Herz stand. Liebte. [29] Verließ es, ging die
his heart stood light green. Loved. Left it, went
eigenen Wurzeln hinaus in gewaltigen Ursprung,
from his own roots outward into the turbulent inception
wo seine kleine Geburt schon überlebt war. Liebend
where his insignificant birth was already outlived. Loving
stieg er hinab in das ältere Blut, in die Schluchten,
he climbed downward into the more ancient blood, into the ravines,
wo das Furchtbare lag, noch satt von den Vätern. Und jedes
where Frightfulness lay, still sated from the fathers. And that
Schreckliche kannte ihn, blinzelte, war wie verständigt. [30]
Horror incarnate recognized him, winked, was as if in agreement.
Ja, das Entsetzliche lächelte . . . Selten
Yes, Dreadfulness smiled. . . Seldom
hast du so zärtlich gelächelt, Mutter. Wie sollte
did you smile so tenderly, mother. How should
er es nicht lieben, da es ihm lächelte. Vor dir
he not love it, since it smiled at him. Before you
hat ers geliebt, denn, da du ihn trugst schon,
he already loved it, for, even as you carried him,
war es [31] im Wasser gelöst, das den Keimenden leicht macht.
it was dissolved in the water, which eases the embryo's growth.
Siehe, wir lieben nicht, wie die Blumen, aus einem
Look, we do not love as the flowers do, all in a
einzigen Jahr; uns steigt, wo wir lieben,
single year; where we love,
unvordenklicher Saft in die Arme. O Mädchen,
immemorial sap rises into our arms. O young girl,
dies: daß wir liebten in uns, nicht Eines, ein Künftiges, sondern
this: that we have loved within ourselves, not one, a future one, but rather
das zahllos Brauende; [32] nicht ein einzelnes Kind,
the innumerable germinating ones; not a single child,
sondern die Väter, [33] die wie Trümmer Gebirgs [34]
but rather the fathers, who like mountain ruins
uns im Grunde beruhn; sondern das trockene Flußbett
touch us in our depths; but rather the dry river-bed
einstiger Mütter --; [35] sondern die ganze
of former mothers--; but rather the whole
lautlose Landschaft under dem wolkigen oder
soundless landscape under the cloudy or
reinen Verhängnis --: [36] d i e s kam dir, Mädchen, zuvor. [37]
pristine destiny--; t h i s preceded you, young girl.
Und du selber, was weißt du --, du locktest [38]
And you yourself, what do you know--,you charmed forth
Vorzeit empor in dem Liebenden. Welche Gefühle
prehistoric time in your lover. Which feelings
wühlten herauf aus entwandelten [39] Wesen. Welche
burrowed upward from transitioned beings. Which
Frauen haßten dich da. Was für finstere Männer
women hated you there. What sinister men
regtest du auf im Geäder des Jünglings? Tote
did you excite in the veins of the youth? Dead
Kinder wollten zu dir . . . O leise, leise, [40]
children wanted to come to you. . .Oh softly, softly,
tu ein liebes vor ihm, ein verläßliches Tagwerk, -- führ ihn
do him a favor, a reliable day's labor,---guide him
nah an den Garten heran, gib ihm der Nächte
nigh unto the garden, give him the nights'
Übergewicht [41] . . . . . .
supremacy. . . . . .
Verhalt ihn . . . . . .
Restrain him . . . . . .
[1] jenen verborgenen schuldigen Fluß-Gott des Bluts: An example of an ellipsis since this phrase is the understood direct object of "zu singen." The full sentence would read "jenen verborgenen schuldingen Fluß-Gott des Bluts zu singen." Ellipsis: The omission of a word or phrase necessary for a complete syntactical construction but not necessary for understanding.
[2] den: Anticipatory direct object for " ihren Jüngling."
[3] Herren: Normally the dative singular form of the weak noun "Herr" is "Herrn" and the plural is "Herren." Rilke has used epenthesis which is the rhetorical adding of letter(s) in the middle of a word. Here it is used to maintain the dactylic meter. Epenthesis: The insertion of a sound in the middle of a word. Dactyl: A metrical foot consisting of one long syllable followed by two short ones.
[4] aufrufend: present participle placed at beginning and not at end of phrase. An example of hyperbaton. Following as it does the main verb "aufhob" of the rather lengthy sentence, it continues the verbal action unabated rather than acting as an afterthought, were it to be at its normal place at the end of the sentence: "die Nacht zu unendlichem Aufruhr aufrufend." Hyperbaton: A figure of speech, such as anastrophe or hysteron proteron, using deviation from normal or logical word order to produce an effect.
[5] des Blutes Neptun: Not "Neptuns Blut" which would be "Neptune's blood" but rather literally "Neptune of the blood." or "The blood's Neptune." What has been eliminated in this transposed genitive is the article before "Neptun" as in "der Neptun des Blutes." A possible translation is "Neptune in the blood." Also an apostrophe. Apostrophe: The direct address of an absent or imaginary person or of a personified abstraction.
[6] Ihr Sterne: Were this a possessive, it would be "Ihre Sterne." It is therefore not a possessive but another example of an apostrophe directly addressing the stars using the Vokativ. 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 or composition. Vokativ: Pertaining to or designating a grammatical case used in Latin and certain other languages to indicate the person or thing being addressed. Duden states that it is the same as the nominative case in modern German.
[7] des Liebenden Lust: "Die Lust des Liebenden." The transposed genitive highlights the alliteration of "Liebenden Lust." 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.
[8] Du: Anticipatory pronoun subject for the much later appearing subject "Mädchen." Beginning of a long apostrophe. Apostrophe: The direct address of an absent or imaginary person or of a personified abstraction.
[9] nicht seine Mutter: Complementary subject to "du" telling us that whoever the "du" refers to along with his mother did not span his brows thus in expectation.
[10] Bogen der Brau'n: Alliteration and a for Rilke unusual Syncope of the word "Brauen" into "Brau'n," using an apostrophe (the punctuation, not the rhetorical technique), in order not to have the totally different word "Braun." Also to shorten the word to one syllable to continue the primary dactylic meter. Rilke almost exclusively shortens or connects words without using an apostrophe. In Elegie 1, verses 23 and 31, he uses "du's," a Synaloepha, and in verse 39 he writes "Beginn" using an apostrophe to replace the missing "e," an apocope; in Elegie 2, verse 37, he writes "sie's," also a Synaloepha; and in Elegie 5, verse 96, he writes "die's" to avoid the word "dies." Also in Elegie 7, verse 62, he writes "sie's" and in Elegie 8, verse 30 "Frei'n." Those were the only examples of his use of an apostrophe in the Elegien, which seem to always come after a vowel. 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. Dactyl: A metrical foot consisting of one long syllable followed by two short ones. Syncope: The shortening of a word by omission of a sound, letter, or syllable from the middle of the word; Synaloepha: Omission of a vowel to contract two words into one such as "don't," "it's." Apocope: The loss of one or more sounds from the end of a word.
[11] Nicht an dir, ihn fühlendes Mädchen, an dir nicht: Rhetorical repetition with intervening words is a diacope. In the italicized words Rilke also changes the order of the words repeated creating an epanados. ihn fühlendes Mädchen: This phrase is not an appositive to "an dir," since it would then have to be "ihn fühlendem Mädchen." It must then be a belated appositive to the "Du" in the previous sentence. The whole sequence in normal order would be: "Du nicht, ihn fühlendes Mädchen, hast ihm, wehe, nicht seine Mutter hat ihm die Bogen der Brau'n so zur Erwartung gespannt. Nicht an dir, an dir nicht bog seine Lippe sich zum fruchtbarern Ausdruck. Diacope: Repetition with only a word or two between: "Villain, damned smiling villain." Epanodos: The repetition of a group of words in reverse order.
[12] fruchbarern: An example of apocope, since the normal form is fruchbareren. This continues the predominately dactylic meter. apocope: The loss of one or more sounds from the end of a word, as in Modern English "sing" from Middle English "singen." Dactyl: A metrical foot consisting of one long syllable followed by two short ones.
[13] du, die: The German version of "You, who . . ." If a male were being addressed the German would be du, der . . .
[14] ihm das Herz: Meaning "sein Herz" In formal German the possessive is not to be used with parts of the body; instead the dative of reference is used, in this case "ihm."
[15] dunkelem: Epenthesis. The normal form is "dunklem." The added syllable continues the predominant dactylic meter of the line. Epenthesis: The insertion of a sound in the middle of a word, as in Middle English "thunder" from Old English "thunor." Dactyl: A metrical foot consisting of one long syllable followed by two short ones.
[16] w i l l: First example of Sperrdruck in this Elegie. Emphasizing the effort needed to fight against the primal urges. Actually comes on an accented syllable showing the importance Rilke attached to this somewhat futile action. Sperrdruck: Spaced type formerly used for Italics and found in the Elegien.
[17] d u: Second example of Sperrdruck coming on an unaccented syllable. Sperrdruck: Spaced type formerly used for Italics and found in the Elegien.
[18] wehrtest der fremden: The verb "wehren" takes the dative with the idea of combatting something" or "holding it off." The adjective "fremden" is not capitalized because it refers back to "Welt."
[19] vertratst "Vertreten" normally means "to represent" or "take the place of." In this usage with the direct object "Chaos" and the indirect object "ihm" the word has the meaning of "obstructing something from somebody" or "to close off something from somebody."
[20] voll Zuflucht" "voller Zuflucht " Apocope. The deletion of the ending maintains the predominately
dactylic meter. Apocope: The loss of one or more sounds from the end of a word, as in Modern English
"sing" from Middle English "singen." Dactyl: A metrical foot consisting of one long syllable followed
by two short ones.
[21] menschlichern: Apocope. The normal form is "menschlicheren." This deletion maintains the predominately dactylic meter. Apocope: The loss of one or more sounds from the end of a word, as in Modern English "sing" from Middle English "singen." Dactyl: A metrical foot consisting of one long syllable followed by two short ones.
[22] nein, in dein näheres Dasein: An example of epanorthosis, since this is a rephrasing for emphasis of the preceding "Nicht in die Finsternis." epanorthosis: The rephrasing of an immediately preceding word or statement
[23] so als wüßtest du längst: "als ob du längst wüßtest." Konjunktiv II of "wissen" (Imperfekt "wußte" with umlaut and second person informal ending "est.") Translate as "As if you had long since known . . . "
[24]: w a n n: Sperrdruck.The third of five in this Elegie. Given the primary dactylic meter "wann" would be unaccented. Sperrdruck: Spaced type formerly used for Italics and found in the Elegien.
[25] verschob: The verb "verschieben" uses the prefix "ver" to indicate a false or wrongly carried out action, here meaning that "the drapes disarranged themselves."
[26] deiner leichten Gestaltung Süße lösend in den gekosteten Vorschlaf: A transposed genitive along with a hyperbaton, since the present participle "lösend" should be at the end of the phrase. Normal word order would be "die Süße deiner leichten Gestaltung in den gekosteten Vorschlaf lösend." Hyperbaton: A figure of speech, such as anastrophe or hysteron proteron, using deviation from normal or logical word order to produce an effect.
[27] Schlafenden; schlafend: A combination of two rhetorical forms. A slightly imperfect form of anadiplosis, the repetition missing an "en." Since the first word is a present participle used as a noun and the second is the participle itself, the same root being thus used in two different grammatical forms is a polyptoton. Anadiplosis: Rhetorical repetition at the beginning of a phrase of the word or words with which the previous phrase ended. Polyptoton: The repetition of the same word or root in different grammatical functions or forms.
[28] mit des innern Geschehns weiterschlagenden Ranken: Transposed genetive of "mit den weiterschlagenden Ranken des innern Geschehns."
[29] Liebte, Liebte sein Inneres, seines Inneren Wildnis, diesen Urwald in ihm, auf dessen stummen Gestürztsein lichtgrün sein Herz stand Since the second "Liebte" repeats and further develops the preceding word we have an anadiplosis. Notice how in the next phrase there is a near anadiplosis: "in sein Inneres, seines Inneren Wildnis." The whole sequence is virtually a chain-reaction anadiplosis "Liebte. Liebte sein Inneres, seines Inneren Wildnis." The first "Liebte" is also elliptical, since its subject, "er" is from the preceding sentence. Liebte sein Inneres, seines Inneren Wildnis, diesen Urwald in ihm, auf dessen stummem Gestürztsein lichtgrün sein Herz stand. Liebte. The repetition of "Liebte" is an epanalepsis which is a repetition of a word or phrase with intervening words. In this case being used to surround a whole passage it could be called an inclusio. seines Inneren Wildnis: . . .das Wildnis seines Inneren. A transposed genitive to make possible the near anadiplosis of "sein Inneres, seines Inneren Wildnis." diesen Urwald in ihm In apposition to "Wildnis" which is in the accusative, hence the accusative masculine form "diesen." Anadiplosis: Rhetorical repetition at the beginning of a phrase of the word or words with which the previous phrase ended; for example, "He is a man of loyalty-loyalty always firm." Ellipsis: The omission of a word or phrase necessary for a complete syntactical construction but not necessary for understanding. Inclusio: An epanalepsis used to mark off a whole passage. 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.
[30] kannte ihn, blinzelte, war . . .: An asyndeton, the elimination of a conjunction, used to emphasize the immediacy and unity of the actions.
[31] es nicht lieben, da es ihm lächelte. Vor dir hat ers geliebt, denn, da du ihn trugst schon, war es . . . The three repetitions of "es" and the "s" of "ers" all refer back to "jedes Schreckliche" and "das Entsetzliche."
[32] daß wir liebten i n uns, nicht Eines, ein Künftiges, sondern das zahlose Brauende: The beginning of a long series of antitheses continuing with "nicht ein einzelnes Kind, sondern die Väter," followed by two more phrases beginning with "sondern." The fourfold repetition of "sondern" is also an anaphora, which is the repetition of a word or phrase at the beginning of successive phrases. Also the fourth subtle instance of Sperrdruck "i n" which would normally be an unaccented syllable. Antithesis: A figure of speech in which sharply contrasting ideas are juxtaposed in a balanced or parallel phrase or grammatical structure.Sperrdruck: Spaced type formerly used for Italics and found in the Elegien.
[33] nicht ein einzelnes Kind, sondern die Väter: The second repetition of "sondern" continuing the anaphora and the second of the series of antitheses. Anaphora: The deliberate repetition of a word or phrase at the beginning of several successive verses, clauses, or paragraphs. Antithesis: A figure of speech in which sharply contrasting ideas are juxtaposed in a balanced or parallel phrase or grammatical structure.
[34] Trümmer Gebirgs: Normal would be "Trümmer des Gebirgs" or Gebirgstrümmer, neither of which would continue the predominately dactylic meter. Dactyl: A metrical foot consisting of one long syllable followed by two short ones.
[35] sondern das trockene Flußbett einstiger Mütter: Third repetition of "sondern" continuing the anaphora and the continuation of the Antithesis, this time without the "nicht" phrase. Anaphora: The deliberate repetition of a word or phrase at the beginning of several successive verses, clauses, or paragraphs. Antithesis: A figure of speech in which sharply contrasting ideas are juxtaposed in a balanced or parallel phrase or grammatical structure.
[36] sondern die ganze lautlose Landschaft unter dem wolkigen oder reinen Verhängnis: Fourth and last repetition of "sondern" concluding the anaphora and the last antithesis, again without the "nicht" phrase. Anaphora: The deliberate repetition of a word or phrase at the beginning of several successive verses, clauses, or paragraphs. Antithesis: A figure of speech in which sharply contrasting ideas are juxtaposed in a balanced or parallel phrase or grammatical structure.
[37] d i e s kam dir, Mädchen, zuvor: The resolution of the long series of antitheses initiated with the fourth and last use of Sperrdruck in this Elegie; otherwise, the word "kam" would be equally accented. Antithesis: A figure of speech in which sharply contrasting ideas are juxtaposed in a balanced or parallel phrase or grammatical structure. Sperrdruck: Spaced type formerly used for Italics and found in the Elegien.
[38] du --, du locktest . . .: An example of anadiplosis. (I could not duplicate this in translation unless I used the archaic "What knowest thou?" Then I would have had to use "thou" and "thee" throughout the Elegien.) Anadiplosis: Rhetorical repetition at the beginning of a phrase of the word or words with which the previous phrase ended.
[39] entwandelten The past participle of a verb created from the prefix ent- meaning "from" and the verb "wandeln" which is a Biblical or poetic word used in phrases like wandeln den Weg der Gerechtigkeit" which means "to walk in the ways of righteousness." The verb "verwandeln" means "to transform, transmute, transfigure, etc. The verb "entwandeln"is an archaic poetic word, which according to the Goethe Dictionary means "davongehen." I tried to combine both of these meanings and retain the archaic sense with the word "transitioned."
[40] leise, leise An example of epizeuxis which is immediatediate repetition: "Comfort ye, Comfort ye, comfort ye, my people."
[41] der Nächte Übergewicht "das Übergewicht der Nächte." This phrase is a transposed genitive. Literally translated it states that the girl is to give him the "nights' supremacy." The "Rilke Werke Kommentierte Ausgabe" interprets this phrase as follows: "Etwas, was den Einfluß der Nacht-Seite seiner Natur überwiegt." The interpretation that she is to give him a counterbalancing force against the strength of the nights emphasizes "Übergewicht," while the more Freudian interpretation puts weight on "der Nächte" or the "id." (In German "das Es"). I believe that the preceding words "O leise, leise, tu ein liebes vor ihm, ein verläßliches Tagwerk," seems to demand the "nights' supremacy" interpretation, meaning that his libido has been satisfied, allowing him to funtion normally during the day. I must add that most translation I have read agree with the "Kommentierte Ausgabe" except for the first French translation by J.F. Angelloz which reads "donne-lui la suprématie des nuits...retiens-le..." "Give him the supremacy of the nights...restrain him..." Also the first English translation by Edward Sackville-West reads "yield to him Each night's transcendency."