Can anyone tell me where

Attention! Some of this material is not in the public domain.

It is illegal to copy and distribute our copyright-protected material without permission. It is also illegal to reprint copyright texts or translations without the name of the author or translator.

To inquire about permissions and rates, contact Emily Ezust at licenses@email.lieder.example.net

If you wish to reprint translations, please make sure you include the names of the translators in your email. They are below each translation.

Note: You must use the copyright symbol © when you reprint copyright-protected material.

by Rainer Maria Rilke (1875 - 1926)

Translation © by Laura Prichard

Kann mir einer sagen, wohin

Language: German (Deutsch)

Our translations: ENG

Kann mir einer sagen, wohin
mit meinem Leben reiche?
Ob ich nicht auch noch im Sturme streiche
und als Welle wohne im Teiche,
und ob ich nicht selbst noch die blasse, bleiche
frühlingfrierende Birke bin?

About the headline (FAQ)

Text Authorship:

by Rainer Maria Rilke (1875 - 1926), no title [author's text checked 1 time against a primary source]

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

by Artur Gelbrun (1913 - 1985), "Kann mir einer sagen", 1945 [ voice and piano ], from Drei Lieder nach Worten R.M. Rilke's, no. 1, Zürich : [Komp.] [sung text not yet checked]

Settings in other languages, adaptations, or excerpts:

Also set in French (Français), a translation by Maurice Betz (1898 - 1946) ; composed by Raymond Loucheur, Mario Versepuy.
- Go to the text.

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

ENG English (Laura Prichard) , copyright © 2024, (re)printed on this website with kind permission

Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]

This text was added to the website: 2021-10-06
Line count: 6
Word count: 35

Can anyone tell me where

Language: English after the German (Deutsch)

Can anyone tell me where
my life is going?
Whether I am blown about in the storm, 
or live as a wave in the pond?
Or whether I’m not the pale, white
spring-frosted birch tree?

About the headline (FAQ)

Text Authorship:

Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2024 by Laura Prichard, (re)printed on this website with kind permission. To reprint and distribute this author's work for concert programs, CD booklets, etc., you may ask the copyright-holder(s) directly or ask us; we are authorized to grant permission on their behalf. Please provide the translator's name when contacting us.
Contact: licenses@email.lieder.example.net

Based on:

a text in German (Deutsch) by Rainer Maria Rilke (1875 - 1926), no title
- Go to the text page.

This text was added to the website: 2024-02-11
Line count: 6
Word count: 35