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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
Het fluistert in 'hemel', in 'hel' hoor je 't beven, 't Klinkt vaag en traag in de echo's even, En drink je soms thee, dan wordt het stom, Bij een föhn, daar hoor je 't als heel licht gebrom. Van 't huishouden houdt het, niet van de keuken, Het kan noch mannen noch vrouwen opleuken, Maar 't kent elk geheim, al moet je 't ontleden. Nee, 't wordt in de poëzie niet beleden. De wetenschap heeft het, denk aan de chemie, Aan hiëroglyfen en hydrologie. Bij de helden neemt het het voortouw immer, Toch mis je 't bij vluchters van binnen ook nimmer, Het loopt in de velden met elke haas, Maar laat men het vluchten, dan wordt het aas. In Teheran fijn, bij de Hunnenhorden Is 't grover, het mooist wel in Hohner geworden. De schaduw bergt het, maar ook de sjah. Je hijgt het dikwijls, het is maar een... (Wat is 't?) Het is maar een...1
1 Oplossing: een h
Text Authorship:
- Singable translation from German (Deutsch) to Dutch (Nederlands) copyright © 2012 by Lau Kanen, (re)printed on this website with kind permission. To reprint and distribute this author's work for concert programs, CD booklets, etc., please ask the copyright-holder(s) directly.
Lau Kanen. Contact: boudewijnkanen (AT) gmail (DOT) com
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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: 2012-06-18
Line count: 18
Word count: 159