by Friedrich Rückert (1788 - 1866)
Translation © by Emily Ezust

Mit vierzig Jahren
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Our translations:  CAT DUT ENG FRE ITA
Mit vierzig Jahren ist der Berg erstiegen,
Wir stehen still und schaun zurück;
Dort sehen wir der Kindheit stilles liegen
Und dort der Jugend lautes Glück.

Noch einmal schau', und dann gekräftigt weiter
Erhebe deinen Wanderstab!
Hindehnt ein Bergesrücken sich ein breiter
Und hier nicht, drüben gehts hinab.

Nicht athmend aufwärts brauchst du mehr zu steigen,
Die Ebene zieht von selbst dich fort;
Dann wird sie sich mit dir unmerklich neigen,
Und eh du's denkst, bist du im Port.

First published in Deutscher Musenalmanach, 1883.

Text Authorship:

Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):

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

  • CAT Catalan (Català) (Salvador Pila) , "Amb quaranta anys", copyright © 2022, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
  • DUT Dutch (Nederlands) [singable] (Lau Kanen) , "Met veertig jaren", copyright © 2015, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
  • ENG English (Emily Ezust) , "At forty years", copyright ©
  • FRE French (Français) (Pierre Mathé) , copyright © 2011, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
  • ITA Italian (Italiano) (Ferdinando Albeggiani) , "A quarant'anni", copyright © 2008, (re)printed on this website with kind permission


Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]

This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 12
Word count: 79

At forty years
Language: English  after the German (Deutsch) 
 At forty years, the mountain has been climbed,
 we stand still and look back;
 there we see our childhood lying quietly,
 and there the noisy happiness of youth.

 Look once more, and then, strengthened again,
 Heft your walking-stick!
  Stretching before you is a mountain ridge - a broad one -
 and not here, but farther along, it begins to go downward.

 Without breathing, you need to climb farther upwards,
 for the plain will pull you forward itself;
 then it will slope downward imperceptibly with you,
 And before you think about it, you will be in port.

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © by Emily Ezust

    Emily Ezust permits her translations to be reproduced without prior permission for printed (not online) programs to free-admission concerts only, provided the following credit is given:

    Translation copyright © by Emily Ezust,
    from the LiederNet Archive

    For any other purpose, please write to the e-mail address below to request permission and discuss possible fees.


Based on:

 

This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 12
Word count: 95