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Es flüstert's der Himmel, es murrt es die Hölle, Nur schwach klingt's nach in des Echo's Welle, Und kommt es zur Fluth, so wird es stumm, Auf den [Höhen]1, da hörst du sein zwiefach Gesumm. Das Schlachtengewühl liebt's, fliehet den Frieden, Es ist nicht Männern noch Frauen beschieden, Doch jeglichem Thier, nur mußt du's seciren. Nicht ist's in der Poesie zu erspüren, Die Wissenschaft hat es, vor [allen]2 sie, Die Gottesgelahrtheit und Philosophie. Bei den Helden führt es den Vorsitz immer, Doch mangelt's den Schwachen auch innerlich nimmer, Es findet sich richtig in jedem Haus, Denn ließe man's fehlen, so wär' es aus. In Griechenland klein, an der Tiber [sic] Borden Ist's größer, am größten in Deutschland geworden. Im Schatten birgt's sich's, im Blümchen auch; Du hauchst es täglich, es ist nur ein [Hauch]3.
Confirmed with Taschenbibliothek der ausländischen Klassiker, in neuen Verdeutschungen, No. 202. Byron’s Poesien, Sieben und zwanzigstes Bändchen, übersetzt von Karl Ludwig Kannegießer, Zwickau: im Verlage der Gebrüder Schumann, 1827, pages 194-195. The original poem was misattributed to Byron in the first publication of this translation.
Note: the answer to the riddle is the letter 'h'. Several words in this poem are now spelled without an 'h', such as "Flut" and "Tier", but the riddle would lose meaning if they were modernized.
1 Schumann: "Höh'n"2 Schumann: "allem"
3 Schumann: "(was ist's?) Es ist nur ein *"
Text Authorship:
- by Karl Friedrich Ludwig Kannegießer (1781 - 1861), "Räthsel" [an adaptation] [author's text checked 1 time against a primary source]
Based on:
- a text in English by Catherine Maria Fanshawe (1765 - 1834), "Riddle"
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
- by Robert Schumann (1810 - 1856), "Räthsel", op. 25 no. 16 (1840), published 1840 [ voice and piano ], from Myrten, no. 16, Leipzig, Kistner [sung text checked 1 time]
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- CAT Catalan (Català) (Salvador Pila) , copyright © 2021, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- DUT Dutch (Nederlands) [singable] (Lau Kanen) , "Raadsel", copyright © 2012, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- ENG English (Sharon Krebs) , "Riddle", copyright © 2016, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- FRE French (Français) (Guy Laffaille) , "Énigme", copyright © 2010, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Researcher for this page: Sharon Krebs [Guest Editor]
This text was added to the website: 2003-11-19
Line count: 18
Word count: 139
Le ciel le murmure, l'enfer le marmonne, Il ne résonne que faiblement dans l'écho des vagues, Et il arrive à la mer, il devient silencieux, Sur les hauteurs, tu entends son bourdonnement double. Il aime le tumulte de la bataille, il fuit la paix, Il n'est accordé ni aux homme, ni aux femmes, Mais à chaque animal tu dois seulement le disséquer, On ne le trouve pas dans la poésie, La science l'a, au-dessus de tout, La théologie et la philosophie aussi. Près des héros il préside toujours, Pourtant il ne manque jamais aux faibles à l'intérieur d'eux-mêmes, Il se trouve bien dans chaque maison, Car si en manquait, ce serait la fin. Petit en Grèce, sur les rives du Tibre Il est plus grand, mais le plus grand de tous est en Allemagne. Dans l'ombre il est caché, dans les petites fleurs aussi, Tu le respires chaque jour, ce n'est qu'un (qu'est-ce c'est ?).
Text Authorship:
- Translation from German (Deutsch) to French (Français) copyright © 2010 by Guy Laffaille, (re)printed on this website with kind permission. To reprint and distribute this author's work for concert programs, CD booklets, etc., you may ask the copyright-holder(s) directly or ask us; we are authorized to grant permission on their behalf. Please provide the translator's name when contacting us.
Contact: licenses@email.lieder.example.net
Based on:
- a text in German (Deutsch) by Karl Friedrich Ludwig Kannegießer (1781 - 1861), "Räthsel" [an adaptation]
Based on:
- a text in English by Catherine Maria Fanshawe (1765 - 1834), "Riddle"
This text was added to the website: 2010-10-20
Line count: 18
Word count: 155