by Rabindranath Tagore (1861 - 1941)
Translation by Jan Śliwiński (1884 - 1950), as Hans Effenberger
I am restless. I am athirst for far‑away...
Language: English after the Bangla (Bengali)
I am restless. I am athirst for far-away things. My soul goes out in a longing to touch the skirt of the dim distance. O Great Beyond, O the keen call of thy flute! I forget, I ever forget, that I have no wings to fly, that I am bound in this spot evermore. I am eager and wakeful, I am a stranger in a strange land. Thy breath comes to me whispering an impossible hope. Thy tongue is known to my heart as its very own. O Far-to-seek, O the keen call of thy flute! I forget, I ever forget, that I know not the way, that I have not the winged horse. I am listless, I am a wanderer in my heart. In the sunny haze of the languid hours, what vast vision of thine takes shape in the blue of the sky! O Farthest end, O the keen call of thy flute! I forget, I ever forget, that the gates are shut everywhere in the house where I dwell alone!
About the headline (FAQ)
Text Authorship:
- by Rabindranath Tagore (1861 - 1941), no title, appears in The Gardener, no. 5, first published 1913 [author's text checked 1 time against a primary source]
Based on:
- a text in Bangla (Bengali) by Rabindranath Tagore (1861 - 1941) [text unavailable]
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
- by Raymond Hanson (1913 - 1976), "I am restless", op. 39 no. 1 (1959/60) [ tenor and piano ], from Seven songs from The Gardener , no. 1 [sung text not yet checked]
Settings in other languages, adaptations, or excerpts:
- Also set in German (Deutsch), a translation by Jan Śliwiński (1884 - 1950) , appears in Rabindranath Tagore. Der Gärtner, no. 5, first published 1916 ; composed by Ján Móry, Alexander Zemlinsky.
Other available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- FRE French (Français) (Guy Laffaille) , "Je suis inquiet", copyright © 2016, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- GER German (Deutsch) (Bertram Kottmann) , "Rastlos bin ich", copyright © 2015, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
This text was added to the website: 2004-01-17
Line count: 26
Word count: 173
Ich bin friedlos, ich bin durstig nach...
Language: German (Deutsch) after the English
Our translations: ITA
Ich bin friedlos, ich bin durstig nach fernen Dingen. Meine Seele schweift in Sehnsucht, Den Saum der dunklen Weite zu berühren. O großes Jenseits, o ungestümes Rufen deiner Flöte. Ich vergesse, ich vergesse immer, Daß ich keine Schwingen zum Fliegen habe, Daß ich an dieses Stück Erde gefesselt bin Für alle Zeit. Ich bin voll Verlangen und wachsam, Ich bin ein Fremder im fremden Land; Dein Odem kommt zu mir Und raunt mir unmögliche Hoffnungen zu. Deine Sprache klingt meinem Herzen vertraut Wie seine eig'ne. O Ziel in Fernen, o ungestümes Rufen deiner Flöte. Ich vergesse immer, ich vergesse, Daß ich nicht den Weg weiß, Daß ich das beschwingte Roß nicht habe. Ich bin ruhlos, ich bin ein Wanderer in meinem Herzen. Im sonnigen Nebel der zögernden Stunden Welch gewaltiges Gesicht von dir wird Gestalt In der Bläue des Himmels. O fernstes Ende, o ungestümes Rufen deiner Flöte. Ich vergesse, ich vergesse immer, Daß die Türen überall verschlossen sind in dem Hause, Wo ich einsam wohne.1
About the headline (FAQ)
View original text (without footnotes)1 Zemlinsky adds "O fernstes Ende, o ungestümes Rufen deiner Flöte."
Text Authorship:
- by Jan Śliwiński (1884 - 1950), as Hans Effenberger, appears in Rabindranath Tagore. Der Gärtner, no. 5, first published 1916 [author's text not yet checked against a primary source]
Based on:
- a text in English by Rabindranath Tagore (1861 - 1941), no title, appears in The Gardener, no. 5, first published 1913
Based on:
- a text in Bangla (Bengali) by Rabindranath Tagore (1861 - 1941) [text unavailable]
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
- by Ján Móry (1892 - 1978), "Ich bin friedlos", op. 12 no. 4 [ voice and piano ], from Tagore-Album, no. 4 [sung text not yet checked]
- by Alexander Zemlinsky (1871 - 1942), "Ich bin friedlos, ich bin durstig nach fernen Dingen", op. 18 no. 1 (1922), first performed 1924 [ baritone and orchestra ], from Lyrische Symphonie, no. 1 [sung text checked 1 time]
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- ITA Italian (Italiano) (Ferdinando Albeggiani) , "Non ho pace, sono assetato di cose lontane", copyright © 2008, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
This text was added to the website: 2003-10-20
Line count: 26
Word count: 167