by Rabindranath Tagore (1861 - 1941)
Translation by Jan Śliwiński (1884 - 1950), as Hans Effenberger
O mother, the young Prince is to pass by...
Language: English after the Bangla (Bengali)
Our translations: FRE
O mother, the young Prince is to pass by our door, -- how can I attend to my work this morning? Show me how to braid up my hair; tell me what garment to put on. Why do you look at me amazed, mother? I know well he will not glance up once at my window; I know he will pass out of my sight in the twinkling of an eye; only the vanishing strain of the flute will come sobbing to me from afar. But the young Prince will pass by our door, and I will put on my best for the moment. O mother, the young Prince did pass by our door, and the morning sun flashed from his chariot. I swept aside the veil from my face, I tore the ruby chain from my neck and flung it in his path. Why do you look at me amazed, mother? I know well he did not pick up my chain; I know it was crushed under his wheels leaving a red stain upon the dust, and no one knows what my gift was nor to whom. But the young Prince did pass by our door, and I flung the jewel from my breast before his path.
About the headline (FAQ)
Text Authorship:
- by Rabindranath Tagore (1861 - 1941), no title, appears in The Gardener, no. 7, first published 1913
Based on:
- a text in Bangla (Bengali) by Rabindranath Tagore (1861 - 1941) [text unavailable]
Go to the general single-text view
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- FRE French (Français) (Guy Laffaille) , "Ô mère, le jeune Prince doit passer", copyright © 2016, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- GER German (Deutsch) (Rudolf Hirsch) , no title, appears in Irrgarten der Liebe
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
This text was added to the website: 2010-11-05
Line count: 23
Word count: 207
Language: German (Deutsch) after the English
Our translations: ITA
Mutter, der junge Prinz muß an unsrer Türe vorbeikommen, Wie kann ich diesen Morgen auf meine Arbeit Acht geben? Zeig mir, wie soll mein Haar ich flechten; Zeig mir, was soll ich für Kleider anziehen? Warum schaust du mich so verwundert an, Mutter? Ich weiß wohl, er wird nicht ein einz'ges mal zu meinem Fenster aufblicken. Ich weiß, im Nu wird er mir aus den Augen sein; Nur das verhallende Flötenspiel wird seufzend zu mir dringen von weitem. Aber der junge Prinz wird bei uns vorüberkommen, Und ich will mein Bestes anziehn für diesen Augenblick. Mutter, der junge Prinz ist an unsrer Türe vorbeigekommen, Und die Morgensonne blitzte an seinem Wagen. Ich strich den Schleier aus meinem Gesicht, Riß die Rubinenkette von meinem Halse und warf sie ihm in den Weg. Warum schaust du mich so verwundert an, Mutter? Ich weiß wohl, daß er meine Kette nicht aufhob. Ich weiß, sie ward unter den Rädern zermalmt Und ließ eine rote Spur im Staube zurück. Und niemand weiß, was mein Geschenk war, und wer es gab. Aber der junge Prinz kam an unsrer Tür vorüber Und ich hab' den Schmuck von meiner Brust Ihm in den Weg geworfen.
Composition:
- Set to music by Alexander Zemlinsky (1871 - 1942), no title, op. 18 no. 2 (1922), first performed 1924 [ soprano and orchestra ], from Lyrische Symphonie, no. 2
Text Authorship:
- by Jan Śliwiński (1884 - 1950), as Hans Effenberger, appears in Rabindranath Tagore. Der Gärtner, no. 7, first published 1916
Based on:
- a text in English by Rabindranath Tagore (1861 - 1941), no title, appears in The Gardener, no. 7, first published 1913
Based on:
- a text in Bangla (Bengali) by Rabindranath Tagore (1861 - 1941) [text unavailable]
See other settings of this text.
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- ITA Italian (Italiano) (Ferdinando Albeggiani) , "Madre, il giovane principe", copyright © 2008, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
This text was added to the website: 2003-10-20
Line count: 23
Word count: 215