{"work":{"slug":"rilke","title":{"source":"Neue Gedichte","translated":"New Poems"},"author":"Rainer Maria Rilke","language":"German","languageCode":"de","url":"https://1732studios.com/books/rilke"},"unit":{"kind":"poem","number":null,"id":"die-laute","title":{"source":"Die Laute","translated":"The Lute"},"section":"New Poems: The Other Part","summary":null,"url":"https://1732studios.com/books/rilke/die-laute","lines":12},"previous":"https://1732studios.com/books/rilke/ein-doge","next":"https://1732studios.com/books/rilke/der-abenteurer-i-ii","license":"Source text: public domain (Rainer Maria Rilke, died 1926; Neue Gedichte published 1907 and 1908), from Wikisource. English translation and notes: © 2026 1732 Studios, LLC. Narration: synthesized for this edition.","audioBase":"https://audio.1732studios.com/rilke/","lines":[{"number":1,"label":"1","id":"die-laute-s1-l1","source":"Ich bin die Laute. Willst du meinen Leib","translation":"I am the lute. If you would set my body","stanza":1,"audio":"https://audio.1732studios.com/rilke/die-laute-s1-l1.m4a","notes":[{"kind":"vocabulary","term":"die Laute","title":"The lute, an instrument","body":"die Laute is the lute, the pear-bodied, fretted string instrument of the Renaissance, not to be confused with der Laut, 'a sound', or laut, 'loud'."},{"kind":"vocabulary","term":"Leib","title":"The living body","body":"der Leib means 'body' in the sense of the living, fleshly body, unlike der Körper, a more neutral or anatomical 'body'. meinen Leib is accusative, object of beschreiben in the next line."}],"words":[{"surface":"Ich","lemma":"ich","morphology":"pronoun, nominative, singular","role":"depends on bin","gloss":"I"},{"surface":"bin","lemma":"sein","morphology":"auxiliary verb, present, indicative, first-person, singular","role":"main verb of the sentence","gloss":"am"},{"surface":"die","lemma":"der","morphology":"determiner, nominative, feminine, singular","role":"depends on Laute","gloss":"the"},{"surface":"Laute","lemma":"Laute","morphology":"noun, nominative, feminine, singular","role":"depends on bin","gloss":"lute"},{"surface":"Willst","lemma":"wollen","morphology":"verb, present, indicative, second-person, singular","role":"main verb of the sentence","gloss":"would you"},{"surface":"du","lemma":"du","morphology":"pronoun, nominative, singular","role":"depends on Willst","gloss":"you"},{"surface":"meinen","lemma":"mein","morphology":"determiner, accusative, masculine, singular","role":"depends on Leib","gloss":"my"},{"surface":"Leib","lemma":"Leib","morphology":"noun, accusative, masculine, singular","role":"depends on beschreiben","gloss":"body"}]},{"number":2,"label":"2","id":"die-laute-s1-l2","source":"beschreiben, seine schön gewölbten Streifen:","translation":"in words, its lovely curving, swelling ribs:","audio":"https://audio.1732studios.com/rilke/die-laute-s1-l2.m4a","notes":[{"kind":"vocabulary","term":"gewölbten Streifen","title":"Vaulted, curving ribs","body":"gewölbt is the past participle of wölben, 'to arch, vault, curve outward', used as an adjective. die Streifen here are the curved staves or ribs of a lute's rounded back."}],"words":[{"surface":"beschreiben","lemma":"beschreiben","morphology":"verb, infinitive","role":"depends on Willst","gloss":"describe"},{"surface":"seine","lemma":"sein","morphology":"determiner, accusative, plural","role":"depends on Streifen","gloss":"its"},{"surface":"schön","lemma":"schön","morphology":"adverb","role":"depends on gewölbten","gloss":"beautifully"},{"surface":"gewölbten","lemma":"gewölbt","morphology":"adjective, accusative, masculine, plural","role":"depends on Streifen","gloss":"curving"},{"surface":"Streifen","lemma":"Streifen","morphology":"noun, accusative, masculine, plural","role":"depends on beschreiben","gloss":"ribs"}]},{"number":3,"label":"3","id":"die-laute-s1-l3","source":"sprich so, als sprächest du von einer reifen","translation":"speak as you would were you to speak of a ripe","audio":"https://audio.1732studios.com/rilke/die-laute-s1-l3.m4a","notes":[{"kind":"grammar","term":"als sprächest du","title":"Als plus subjunctive comparison","body":"als sprächest du means 'as though you were speaking'. als introduces an unreal comparison and takes the subjunctive II; sprächest is the subjunctive II of sprechen, 'to speak'."}],"words":[{"surface":"sprich","lemma":"sprechen","morphology":"verb, imperative, second-person, singular","role":"main verb of the sentence","gloss":"speak"},{"surface":"so","lemma":"so","morphology":"adverb","role":"depends on sprich","gloss":"thus"},{"surface":"als","lemma":"als","morphology":"subordinating conjunction","role":"depends on sprächest","gloss":"as if"},{"surface":"sprächest","lemma":"sprechen","morphology":"verb, past subjunctive, second-person, singular","role":"depends on als","gloss":"were speaking"},{"surface":"du","lemma":"du","morphology":"pronoun, nominative, singular","role":"depends on sprächest","gloss":"you"},{"surface":"von","lemma":"von","morphology":"preposition","role":"depends on sprächest","gloss":"of"},{"surface":"einer","lemma":"ein","morphology":"determiner, dative, feminine, singular","role":"depends on Feige","gloss":"a"},{"surface":"reifen","lemma":"reif","morphology":"adjective, dative, feminine, singular","role":"depends on Feige","gloss":"ripe"}]},{"number":4,"label":"4","id":"die-laute-s1-l4","source":"gewölbten Feige. Übertreib","translation":"and swelling fig. Exaggerate","audio":"https://audio.1732studios.com/rilke/die-laute-s1-l4.m4a","notes":[{"kind":"grammar","term":"Übertreib","title":"A clipped imperative","body":"Übertreib is the imperative of übertreiben, 'to exaggerate, overdo', with the usual -e ending dropped, übertreib for übertreibe, as German allows in speech and verse."}],"words":[{"surface":"gewölbten","lemma":"gewölbt","morphology":"adjective, dative, feminine, singular","role":"depends on Feige","gloss":"swelling"},{"surface":"Feige","lemma":"Feige","morphology":"noun, dative, feminine, singular","role":"depends on von","gloss":"fig"},{"surface":"Übertreib","lemma":"übertreiben","morphology":"verb, imperative, second-person, singular","role":"main verb of the sentence","gloss":"exaggerate"}]},{"number":5,"label":"5","id":"die-laute-s2-l1","source":"das Dunkel, das du in mir siehst. Es war","translation":"the darkness that you see in me. It was","stanza":2,"audio":"https://audio.1732studios.com/rilke/die-laute-s2-l1.m4a","notes":[{"kind":"grammar","term":"das Dunkel, das du … siehst","title":"Das used twice, article then pronoun","body":"The first das is the neuter article of das Dunkel, 'the darkness'; the second das is the relative pronoun 'that, which', opening das du in mir siehst, 'that you see in me'."}],"words":[{"surface":"das","lemma":"der","morphology":"determiner, nominative, neuter, singular","role":"depends on Dunkel","gloss":"the"},{"surface":"Dunkel","lemma":"Dunkel","morphology":"noun, nominative, neuter, singular","role":"head of the phrase","gloss":"darkness"},{"surface":"das","lemma":"der","morphology":"pronoun, accusative, neuter, singular","role":"depends on siehst","gloss":"that"},{"surface":"du","lemma":"du","morphology":"pronoun, nominative, singular","role":"depends on siehst","gloss":"you"},{"surface":"in","lemma":"in","morphology":"preposition","role":"depends on siehst","gloss":"in"},{"surface":"mir","lemma":"ich","morphology":"pronoun, dative, singular","role":"depends on in","gloss":"me"},{"surface":"siehst","lemma":"sehen","morphology":"verb, present, indicative, second-person, singular","role":"main verb of the relative clause (das)","gloss":"see"},{"surface":"Es","lemma":"es","morphology":"pronoun, nominative, neuter, singular","role":"depends on war","gloss":"it"},{"surface":"war","lemma":"sein","morphology":"auxiliary verb, past, indicative, third-person, singular","role":"main verb of the sentence","gloss":"was"}]},{"number":6,"label":"6","id":"die-laute-s2-l2","source":"Tullias Dunkelheit. In ihrer Scham","translation":"Tullia's darkness once. Within her shame","audio":"https://audio.1732studios.com/rilke/die-laute-s2-l2.m4a","notes":[{"kind":"vocabulary","term":"Scham","title":"Shame, and a body sense","body":"die Scham means 'shame, modesty', but it is also an old, discreet word for the sexual parts, compare Schamgegend, the pudendal region. In ihrer Scham means 'within her shame'."}],"words":[{"surface":"Tullias","lemma":"Tullia","morphology":"proper noun, genitive, singular","role":"depends on Dunkelheit","gloss":"Tullia's"},{"surface":"Dunkelheit","lemma":"Dunkelheit","morphology":"noun, nominative, feminine, singular","role":"head of the phrase","gloss":"darkness"},{"surface":"In","lemma":"in","morphology":"preposition","role":"head of the phrase","gloss":"within"},{"surface":"ihrer","lemma":"ihr","morphology":"determiner, dative, feminine, singular","role":"depends on Scham","gloss":"her"},{"surface":"Scham","lemma":"Scham","morphology":"noun, dative, feminine, singular","role":"depends on In","gloss":"shame"}]},{"number":7,"label":"7","id":"die-laute-s2-l3","source":"war nicht so viel, und ihr erhelltes Haar","translation":"there was not so much, and her lit-up hair","audio":"https://audio.1732studios.com/rilke/die-laute-s2-l3.m4a","notes":[{"kind":"vocabulary","term":"erhelltes Haar","title":"Lit up, brightened","body":"erhellt is the past participle of erhellen, 'to light up, illuminate, brighten', used as an adjective: ihr erhelltes Haar, 'her brightened, lit-up hair', nominative, agreeing with Haar."}],"words":[{"surface":"war","lemma":"sein","morphology":"auxiliary verb, past, indicative, third-person, singular","role":"main verb of the sentence","gloss":"was"},{"surface":"nicht","lemma":"nicht","morphology":"particle","role":"depends on war","gloss":"not"},{"surface":"so","lemma":"so","morphology":"adverb","role":"depends on viel","gloss":"so"},{"surface":"viel","lemma":"viel","morphology":"pronoun","role":"depends on war","gloss":"much"},{"surface":"und","lemma":"und","morphology":"conjunction","role":"depends on war","gloss":"and"},{"surface":"ihr","lemma":"ihr","morphology":"determiner, nominative, neuter, singular","role":"depends on Haar","gloss":"her"},{"surface":"erhelltes","lemma":"erhellt","morphology":"adjective, nominative, neuter, singular","role":"depends on Haar","gloss":"lit-up"},{"surface":"Haar","lemma":"Haar","morphology":"noun, nominative, neuter, singular","role":"depends on war","gloss":"hair"}]},{"number":8,"label":"8","id":"die-laute-s2-l4","source":"war wie ein heller Saal. Zuweilen nahm","translation":"was like a hall of light. At times she drew","audio":"https://audio.1732studios.com/rilke/die-laute-s2-l4.m4a","notes":[{"kind":"vocabulary","term":"ein heller Saal","title":"A great hall","body":"der Saal is a large hall or grand room, a ballroom or concert hall, not an ordinary Zimmer. war wie ein heller Saal means 'was like a bright hall'."},{"kind":"grammar","term":"Zuweilen nahm","title":"Fronted adverb, verb second","body":"zuweilen means 'at times, now and then', an elevated word for manchmal. Placed first, it pushes the finite verb nahm, simple past of nehmen, 'to take', into second position."}],"words":[{"surface":"war","lemma":"sein","morphology":"auxiliary verb, past, indicative, third-person, singular","role":"main verb of the sentence","gloss":"was"},{"surface":"wie","lemma":"wie","morphology":"preposition","role":"depends on Saal","gloss":"like"},{"surface":"ein","lemma":"ein","morphology":"determiner, nominative, masculine, singular","role":"depends on Saal","gloss":"a"},{"surface":"heller","lemma":"hell","morphology":"adjective, nominative, masculine, singular","role":"depends on Saal","gloss":"bright"},{"surface":"Saal","lemma":"Saal","morphology":"noun, nominative, masculine, singular","role":"depends on wie","gloss":"hall"},{"surface":"Zuweilen","lemma":"zuweilen","morphology":"adverb","role":"depends on nahm","gloss":"at times"},{"surface":"nahm","lemma":"nehmen","morphology":"verb, past, indicative, third-person, singular","role":"main verb of the sentence","gloss":"took"}]},{"number":9,"label":"9","id":"die-laute-s3-l1","source":"sie etwas Klang von meiner Oberfläche","translation":"some sound up from my surface to her face","stanza":3,"audio":"https://audio.1732studios.com/rilke/die-laute-s3-l1.m4a","notes":[{"kind":"vocabulary","term":"Klang","title":"Resonant sound","body":"der Klang is sound as resonance or timbre, richer than the neutral das Geräusch, a mere noise. etwas Klang von meiner Oberfläche means 'some sound from my surface'."}],"words":[{"surface":"sie","lemma":"sie","morphology":"pronoun, nominative, singular","role":"depends on nahm","gloss":"she"},{"surface":"etwas","lemma":"etwas","morphology":"determiner","role":"depends on Klang","gloss":"some"},{"surface":"Klang","lemma":"Klang","morphology":"noun, accusative, masculine, singular","role":"depends on nahm","gloss":"sound"},{"surface":"von","lemma":"von","morphology":"preposition","role":"depends on Klang","gloss":"from"},{"surface":"meiner","lemma":"mein","morphology":"determiner, dative, feminine, singular","role":"depends on Oberfläche","gloss":"my"},{"surface":"Oberfläche","lemma":"Oberfläche","morphology":"noun, dative, feminine, singular","role":"depends on von","gloss":"surface"}]},{"number":10,"label":"10","id":"die-laute-s3-l2","source":"in ihr Gesicht und sang zu mir.","translation":"and sang to me.","audio":"https://audio.1732studios.com/rilke/die-laute-s3-l2.m4a","notes":[{"kind":"grammar","term":"in ihr Gesicht","title":"Accusative marks motion into","body":"in here governs the accusative ihr Gesicht, 'her face', marking motion toward: 'into her face'. With the dative in ihrem Gesicht it would instead mean rest, 'in her face'."}],"words":[{"surface":"in","lemma":"in","morphology":"preposition","role":"depends on nahm","gloss":"into"},{"surface":"ihr","lemma":"ihr","morphology":"determiner, accusative, neuter, singular","role":"depends on Gesicht","gloss":"her"},{"surface":"Gesicht","lemma":"Gesicht","morphology":"noun, accusative, neuter, singular","role":"depends on in","gloss":"face"},{"surface":"und","lemma":"und","morphology":"conjunction","role":"depends on sang","gloss":"and"},{"surface":"sang","lemma":"singen","morphology":"verb, past, indicative, third-person, singular","role":"depends on und","gloss":"sang"},{"surface":"zu","lemma":"zu","morphology":"preposition","role":"depends on sang","gloss":"to"},{"surface":"mir","lemma":"ich","morphology":"pronoun, dative, singular","role":"depends on zu","gloss":"me"}]},{"number":11,"label":"11","id":"die-laute-s3-l3","source":"Dann spannte ich mich gegen ihre Schwäche,","translation":"Then I would tauten myself against her weakness,","audio":"https://audio.1732studios.com/rilke/die-laute-s3-l3.m4a","notes":[{"kind":"grammar","term":"spannte ich mich","title":"To tense, to draw taut","body":"spannen means 'to stretch, to tension, to draw taut'; reflexive sich spannen means 'to tense oneself'. gegen, 'against', takes the accusative ihre Schwäche, 'her weakness, faintness'."}],"words":[{"surface":"Dann","lemma":"dann","morphology":"adverb","role":"depends on spannte","gloss":"then"},{"surface":"spannte","lemma":"spannen","morphology":"verb, past, indicative, first-person, singular","role":"main verb of the sentence","gloss":"tautened"},{"surface":"ich","lemma":"ich","morphology":"pronoun, nominative, singular","role":"depends on spannte","gloss":"I"},{"surface":"mich","lemma":"sich","morphology":"pronoun, accusative, singular, reflexive","role":"depends on spannte","gloss":"myself"},{"surface":"gegen","lemma":"gegen","morphology":"preposition","role":"depends on spannte","gloss":"against"},{"surface":"ihre","lemma":"ihr","morphology":"determiner, accusative, feminine, singular","role":"depends on Schwäche","gloss":"her"},{"surface":"Schwäche","lemma":"Schwäche","morphology":"noun, accusative, feminine, singular","role":"depends on gegen","gloss":"weakness"}]},{"number":12,"label":"12","id":"die-laute-s3-l4","source":"und endlich war mein Inneres in ihr.","translation":"and at the last my inwardness was in her.","audio":"https://audio.1732studios.com/rilke/die-laute-s3-l4.m4a","notes":[{"kind":"vocabulary","term":"mein Inneres","title":"The inside, the inner self","body":"das Innere is a nominalized adjective meaning 'the inside, the interior, one's inner being'. mein Inneres means 'my inner part, my inmost self'. in ihr is dative, marking rest."}],"words":[{"surface":"und","lemma":"und","morphology":"conjunction","role":"depends on war","gloss":"and"},{"surface":"endlich","lemma":"endlich","morphology":"adverb","role":"depends on war","gloss":"at last"},{"surface":"war","lemma":"sein","morphology":"auxiliary verb, past, indicative, third-person, singular","role":"main verb of the sentence","gloss":"was"},{"surface":"mein","lemma":"mein","morphology":"determiner, nominative, neuter, singular","role":"depends on Inneres","gloss":"my"},{"surface":"Inneres","lemma":"Inneres","morphology":"noun, nominative, neuter, singular","role":"depends on war","gloss":"inwardness"},{"surface":"in","lemma":"in","morphology":"preposition","role":"depends on war","gloss":"in"},{"surface":"ihr","lemma":"sie","morphology":"pronoun, dative, feminine, singular","role":"depends on in","gloss":"her"}]}]}