by Rainer Maria Rilke (1875 - 1926)

Language: German (Deutsch) 
Our translations:  ENG ENG ENG ENG ENG FRE ITA
Die Blätter fallen, fallen wie von weit, 
als welkten in den Himmeln ferne Gärten; 
sie fallen mit verneinender Gebärde. 
Und in den Nächten fällt die schwere Erde 
aus allen Sternen in die Einsamkeit. 
Wir alle fallen. Diese Hand da fällt. 
Und sieh die andre an: es ist in allen. 
Und doch ist einer, welcher dieses Fallen 
unendlich sanft in seinen Händen hält.

Composition:

    Set to music by Léon Orthel (1905 - 1985), "Herbst", op. 87 no. 3 (1980), from Herfst, no. 3

Text Authorship:

See other settings of this text.

Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):

  • ENG English (John H. Campbell) , no title, copyright ©, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
  • ENG English (Bertram Kottmann) , "Autumn", copyright © 2005, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
  • ENG English (Walter A. Aue) , "Fall", copyright © 2008, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
  • ENG English (Bertram Kottmann) , "Fall", copyright © 2008, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
  • ENG English (Gary Bachlund) , "Fall", copyright © 2008, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
  • FRE French (Français) (Pierre Mathé) , "Automne", copyright © 2012, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
  • ITA Italian (Italiano) (Ferdinando Albeggiani) , "Autunno", copyright © 2011, (re)printed on this website with kind permission


Researcher for this page: John H. Campbell

This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 9
Word count: 62