by Rabindranath Tagore (1861 - 1941)
Translation by Anonymous / Unidentified Author

Death, thy servant, is at my door
Language: English  after the Bangla (Bengali) 
Our translations:  GER
Death, thy servant, is at my door. 
He has crossed the unknown sea 
and brought thy call to my home.
The night is dark and my heart is fearful -- 
yet I will take up the lamp, 
open my gates and bow to him my welcome. 
It is thy messenger who stands at my door.
I will worship him with folded hands, and with tears.
I worship him placing at his feet the treasure of my heart.
He will go back with his errand done, 
leaving a dark shadow on my morning; 
and in my desolate home only my forlorn self 
will remain as my last offering to thee.

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Text Authorship:

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

  • GER German (Deutsch) (Thomas F. Schubert) , copyright ©, (re)printed on this website with kind permission [an adaptation]
  • GER German (Deutsch) (Bertram Kottmann) , copyright © 2014, (re)printed on this website with kind permission


Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]

This text was added to the website: 2008-07-04
Line count: 13
Word count: 108

Language: Spanish (Español)  after the English 
La Muerte, tu servidora, está a mi puerta.
Ha atravesado la mar desconocida
Y trae tu llamado a mi casa.
La noche es oscura y mi corazón tiniebla,
Mas tomaré mi lámpara, 
le abriré mis puertas y le daré la bienvenida.
Es tu mensajera quien se yergue ante mi umbral.
Ella partirá, 
cumplido su encargo,
Dejando una sombra negra en mi aurora
Y en mi desolada casa
No quedara a nada más que mi ser abandonado,
Mi última ofrenda para ti.

Composition:

    Set to music by Manuel M. Ponce (1883 - 1948), no title, 1920, first performed 1921 [ voice and piano ], from La muerte, no. 2

Text Authorship:

  • by Anonymous / Unidentified Author

Based on:

Based on:

Go to the general single-text view


Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]

This text was added to the website: 2010-08-31
Line count: 13
Word count: 81