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.
Es flüstert's der Himmel, es murrt es die Hölle, Nur schwach klingt's nach in des Echo's Welle, Und kommt es zur Fluth, so wird es stumm, Auf den [Höhen]1, da hörst du sein zwiefach Gesumm. Das Schlachtengewühl liebt's, fliehet den Frieden, Es ist nicht Männern noch Frauen beschieden, Doch jeglichem Thier, nur mußt du's seciren. Nicht ist's in der Poesie zu erspüren, Die Wissenschaft hat es, vor [allen]2 sie, Die Gottesgelahrtheit und Philosophie. Bei den Helden führt es den Vorsitz immer, Doch mangelt's den Schwachen auch innerlich nimmer, Es findet sich richtig in jedem Haus, Denn ließe man's fehlen, so wär' es aus. In Griechenland klein, an der Tiber [sic] Borden Ist's größer, am größten in Deutschland geworden. Im Schatten birgt's sich's, im Blümchen auch; Du hauchst es täglich, es ist nur ein [Hauch]3.
Confirmed with Taschenbibliothek der ausländischen Klassiker, in neuen Verdeutschungen, No. 202. Byron’s Poesien, Sieben und zwanzigstes Bändchen, übersetzt von Karl Ludwig Kannegießer, Zwickau: im Verlage der Gebrüder Schumann, 1827, pages 194-195. The original poem was misattributed to Byron in the first publication of this translation.
Note: the answer to the riddle is the letter 'h'. Several words in this poem are now spelled without an 'h', such as "Flut" and "Tier", but the riddle would lose meaning if they were modernized.
1 Schumann: "Höh'n"2 Schumann: "allem"
3 Schumann: "(was ist's?) Es ist nur ein *"
Text Authorship:
- by Karl Friedrich Ludwig Kannegießer (1781 - 1861), "Räthsel" [an adaptation] [author's text checked 1 time against a primary source]
Based on:
- a text in English by Catherine Maria Fanshawe (1765 - 1834), "Riddle"
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
- by Robert Schumann (1810 - 1856), "Räthsel", op. 25 no. 16 (1840), published 1840 [ voice and piano ], from Myrten, no. 16, Leipzig, Kistner [sung text checked 1 time]
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- CAT Catalan (Català) (Salvador Pila) , copyright © 2021, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- DUT Dutch (Nederlands) [singable] (Lau Kanen) , "Raadsel", copyright © 2012, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- ENG English (Sharon Krebs) , "Riddle", copyright © 2016, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- FRE French (Français) (Guy Laffaille) , "Énigme", copyright © 2010, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Researcher for this page: Sharon Krebs [Guest Editor]
This text was added to the website: 2003-11-19
Line count: 18
Word count: 139
El cel el xiuxiueja, l’infern el remuga, ressona tan sols feblement a l’eco de les ones, i quan arriba al diluvi, emmudeix, a les alçàries tu sents el seu doble brunzit. Li agrada el tumult de la batalla, fuig de la pau, no és atorgat a homes ni dones, però a tots els animals només l’has de dissecar. No es pot percebre a la poesia, la ciència el té, per davant de tots, la teologia i la filosofia. Presideix sempre entre els herois, però interiorment no els manca mai als febles, es troba ben bé a cada casa, car si en manqués, seria la seva fi. És petit a Grècia, a les ribes del Tiber és més gran, però més gran que tots és a Alemanya. S’amaga a les ombres i també a les flors; tu el respires cada dia, és tan sols un alè.
About the headline (FAQ)
Translations of title(s):
"Räthsel" = "Endevinalla"
"Rätsel" = "Endevinalla"
Text Authorship:
- Translation from German (Deutsch) to Catalan (Català) copyright © 2021 by Salvador Pila, (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 Karl Friedrich Ludwig Kannegießer (1781 - 1861), "Räthsel" [an adaptation]
Based on:
- a text in English by Catherine Maria Fanshawe (1765 - 1834), "Riddle"
This text was added to the website: 2021-02-24
Line count: 18
Word count: 145