Here is thy footstool and there rest thy feet where live the poorest, and lowliest, and lost. When I try to bow to thee, my obeisance cannot reach down to the depth where thy feet rest among the poorest, and lowliest, and lost. Pride can never approach to where thou walkest in the clothes of the humble among the poorest, and lowliest, and lost. My heart can never find its way to where thou keepest company with the companionless among the poorest, the lowliest, and the lost.
About the headline (FAQ)
Text Authorship:
- by Rabindranath Tagore (1861 - 1941), no title, appears in Gitanjali, no. 10, first published 1912 [author's text checked 1 time against a primary source]
Based on:
- a text in Bangla (Bengali) by Rabindranath Tagore (1861 - 1941), appears in গীতাঞ্জলি (Gitanjali), no. 10, first published 1912 [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 Paul Creston, born Giuseppe Guttoveggio (1906 - 1985), "Here is thy footstool", op. 11 no. 2 (1945) [ mixed chorus a cappella ], from Three Chorales from Tagore, no. 2 [sung text not yet checked]
Settings in other languages, adaptations, or excerpts:
- Also set in Swedish (Svenska), a translation by Andrea Butenschön (1866 - 1948) , first published 1915 ; composed by Edvin Kallstenius.
Other available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- FRE French (Français) (Pierre Mathé) , "Voici ton repose-pied et là repose ton pied", copyright © 2013, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- GER German (Deutsch) (Bertram Kottmann) , "Demut", copyright © 2014, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
This text was added to the website: 2010-11-03
Line count: 16
Word count: 87
Här är din fotapall, här vila dina fötter, där de bo, de fattigaste, de förtappade och de förkomna. När jag försöker bringa dig min hyllning, når min bugning ej ned till det djup, där dina fötter vila bland de fattigaste, de förtappade och de förkomna. Högmod kan ej nalkas dig där du vandrar i de ringes kläder bland de fattigaste, de förtappade och de förkomna. Mitt hjärta kan aldrig hitta vägen dit, där du står, vänsäll bland de vänlösa hos de fattigaste, de förtappade och de förkomna.
About the headline (FAQ)
Text Authorship:
- by Andrea Butenschön (1866 - 1948), first published 1915 [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 Gitanjali, no. 10, first published 1912
Based on:
- a text in Bangla (Bengali) by Rabindranath Tagore (1861 - 1941), appears in গীতাঞ্জলি (Gitanjali), no. 10, first published 1912 [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 Edvin Kallstenius (1881 - 1967), no title, op. 32 no. 2 (1944) [ baritone and orchestra ], from cantata Sångoffer, no. 2
Score: IMSLP [external link] [sung text checked 1 time]
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- ENG English [singable] (Edvin Kallstenius)
- GER German (Deutsch) [singable] (Edvin Kallstenius)
Research team for this page: Emily Ezust [Administrator] , Daphnis [Guest Editor]
This text was added to the website: 2026-07-24
Line count: 16
Word count: 87