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by Rabindranath Tagore (1861 - 1941)
Translation by Jan Śliwiński (1884 - 1950), as Hans Effenberger

Tell me if this be all true, my lover
Language: English  after the Bangla (Bengali) 
Tell me if this be all true, my lover, 
tell me if this be true.

When these eyes flash their lightning 
the dark clouds in your breast make stormy answer.

Is it true that my lips are sweet 
like the opening bud of the first conscious love?

Do the memories of vanished months 
of May linger in my limbs?

Does the earth, like a harp, 
shiver into songs with the touch of my feet?

Is it then true that the dewdrops fall 
from the eyes of night when I am seen, 
and the morning light is glad 
when it wraps my body round?

Is it true, is it true, that your love travelled 
alone through ages and worlds in search of me?

That when you found me at last, your age-long desire 
found utter peace in my gentle speech 
and my eyes and lips and flowing hair?

Is it then true that the mystery of the Infinite 
is written on this little forehead of mine?

Tell me, my lover, if all this be true.

About the headline (FAQ)

Text Authorship:

  • by Rabindranath Tagore (1861 - 1941), no title, appears in The Gardener, no. 32, first published 1913

Based on:

  • a text in Bangla (Bengali) by Rabindranath Tagore (1861 - 1941) [text unavailable]
    • Go to the text page.

Go to the general single-text view


Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]

This text was added to the website: 2010-11-05
Line count: 22
Word count: 174

Sag mir, ob das alles wahr ist, Liebster
 (Sung text for setting by J. van Gilse)
 Matches original text
Language: German (Deutsch)  after the English 
Sag mir, ob das alles wahr ist, Liebster, 
sag mir, ob das alles wahr ist. 

Wenn diese Augen ihre Blitze sprühen, 
geben die dunklen Wolken in Deiner Brust  stürmische Antwort? 

Ist es wahr, daß meine Lippen süß sind 
wie die aufspringende Knospe der ersten, eingestandenen Liebe?
 
Säumen die Erinnerungen entschwundener 
Maienmonde in meinen Gliedern? 

Erschauert die Erde wie eine Harfe in Liedern, 
wenn meine Füße sie berühren? 

Ist es denn wahr,  daß die Tautropfen 
von den Augen der Nacht fallen,  wenn ich mich zeige, 
und daß das Morgenlicht froh ist, 
wenn es meinen Körper rings einhüllt? 

Ist es wahr, ist es wahr,  daß Deine Liebe einsam durch Zeitalter 
und Welten wanderte,  auf der Suche nach mir? 

Daß, da Du mich endlich fandest,  Dein langes Sehnen 
letzten Frieden, fand in meiner sanften Rede, 
in meinen Augen und Lippen und flutenden Haaren? 

Ist es denn wahr,  daß das Geheimnis des Unendlichen 
auf dieser meinen kleinen Stirn geschrieben steht? 

Sag mir, Geliebter, ist denn das alles wahr? 

Composition:

    Set to music by Jan Pieter Hendrik van Gilse (1881 - 1944), "Sag mir, ob das alles wahr ist, Liebster", 1921 [ soprano and orchestra ], from Drei Gesänge aus Tagore's Der Gärtner, no. 3

Text Authorship:

  • by Jan Śliwiński (1884 - 1950), as Hans Effenberger, no title, appears in Rabindranath Tagore. Der Gärtner, no. 32

Based on:

  • a text in English by Rabindranath Tagore (1861 - 1941), no title, appears in The Gardener, no. 32, first published 1913
    • Go to the text page.

Based on:

  • a text in Bangla (Bengali) by Rabindranath Tagore (1861 - 1941) [text unavailable]
    • Go to the text page.

See other settings of this text.


Research team for this page: Emily Ezust [Administrator] , Joost van der Linden [Guest Editor]

This text was added to the website: 2022-11-29
Line count: 22
Word count: 164

Gentle Reminder

This website began in 1995 as a personal project by Emily Ezust, who has been working on it full-time without a salary since 2008. Our research has never had any government or institutional funding, so if you found the information here useful, please consider making a donation. Your help is greatly appreciated!
–Emily Ezust, Founder

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