{"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-schwestern","title":{"source":"Die Schwestern","translated":"The Sisters"},"section":"New Poems: The Other Part","summary":null,"url":"https://1732studios.com/books/rilke/die-schwestern","lines":12},"previous":"https://1732studios.com/books/rilke/begegnung-in-der-kastanien-allee","next":"https://1732studios.com/books/rilke/uebung-am-klavier","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-schwestern-s1-l1","source":"Sieh, wie sie dieselben Möglichkeiten","translation":"See how they bear the very same potentials","stanza":1,"audio":"https://audio.1732studios.com/rilke/die-schwestern-s1-l1.m4a","notes":[{"kind":"grammar","term":"dieselben Möglichkeiten","title":"The very same, in two parts","body":"derselbe, dieselbe, dasselbe means 'the very same one', stressing identity rather than likeness. It declines in two halves: the article half agrees in case, the adjective half takes the weak ending. Here dieselben is feminine accusative plural, agreeing with Möglichkeiten, 'possibilities'."}],"words":[{"surface":"Sieh","lemma":"sehen","morphology":"verb, imperative, second-person, singular","role":"main verb of the sentence","gloss":"See"},{"surface":"wie","lemma":"wie","morphology":"subordinating conjunction","role":"depends on tragen","gloss":"how"},{"surface":"sie","lemma":"sie","morphology":"pronoun, nominative, plural","role":"depends on tragen","gloss":"they"},{"surface":"dieselben","lemma":"derselbe","morphology":"determiner, accusative, feminine, plural","role":"depends on Möglichkeiten","gloss":"the same"},{"surface":"Möglichkeiten","lemma":"Möglichkeit","morphology":"noun, accusative, feminine, plural","role":"depends on tragen","gloss":"potentials"}]},{"number":2,"label":"2","id":"die-schwestern-s1-l2","source":"anders an sich tragen und verstehn,","translation":"upon themselves, and grasp them, otherwise —","audio":"https://audio.1732studios.com/rilke/die-schwestern-s1-l2.m4a","notes":[{"kind":"vocabulary","term":"anders an sich tragen","title":"An idiom for wearing something","body":"etwas an sich tragen means 'to carry or wear something about one, to have it upon oneself'. anders, 'differently, otherwise', governs the whole verb, so each sister carries the same possibilities in a different way. verstehn is the poetic short form of verstehen."}],"words":[{"surface":"anders","lemma":"anders","morphology":"adverb","role":"depends on tragen","gloss":"otherwise"},{"surface":"an","lemma":"an","morphology":"preposition","role":"depends on tragen","gloss":"upon"},{"surface":"sich","lemma":"sich","morphology":"pronoun, accusative, plural, reflexive","role":"depends on an","gloss":"themselves"},{"surface":"tragen","lemma":"tragen","morphology":"verb, present, indicative, third-person, plural","role":"main verb of the sentence","gloss":"bear"},{"surface":"und","lemma":"und","morphology":"conjunction","role":"depends on tragen","gloss":"and"},{"surface":"verstehn","lemma":"verstehen","morphology":"verb, present, indicative, third-person, plural","role":"depends on und","gloss":"grasp","note":"'verstehn' is a poetic elision of 'verstehen' (they understand/grasp)."}]},{"number":3,"label":"3","id":"die-schwestern-s1-l3","source":"so als sähe man verschiedne Zeiten","translation":"as if one watched two different ages move","audio":"https://audio.1732studios.com/rilke/die-schwestern-s1-l3.m4a","notes":[{"kind":"grammar","term":"so als sähe man","title":"als plus subjunctive, no ob","body":"sähe is the Konjunktiv II, past subjunctive, of sehen, 'to see', used after so als, 'as though', to mark a comparison as imagined. In this short form the verb follows als directly, before the subject man, 'one'. verschiedne contracts verschiedene, 'different'."}],"words":[{"surface":"so","lemma":"so","morphology":"adverb","role":"depends on sähe","gloss":"as"},{"surface":"als","lemma":"als","morphology":"subordinating conjunction","role":"depends on sähe","gloss":"if"},{"surface":"sähe","lemma":"sehen","morphology":"verb, past, subjunctive, third-person, singular","role":"main verb of the sentence","gloss":"watched"},{"surface":"man","lemma":"man","morphology":"pronoun, nominative, singular","role":"depends on sähe","gloss":"one"},{"surface":"verschiedne","lemma":"verschieden","morphology":"adjective, accusative, feminine, plural","role":"depends on Zeiten","gloss":"different"},{"surface":"Zeiten","lemma":"Zeit","morphology":"noun, accusative, feminine, plural","role":"depends on sähe","gloss":"ages"}]},{"number":4,"label":"4","id":"die-schwestern-s1-l4","source":"durch zwei gleiche Zimmer gehn.","translation":"across two rooms that are alike.","audio":"https://audio.1732studios.com/rilke/die-schwestern-s1-l4.m4a","notes":[{"kind":"vocabulary","term":"zwei gleiche Zimmer","title":"gleich meaning identical","body":"gleich here is the adjective 'alike, equal, identical', not the common adverb gleich meaning 'soon, at once'. zwei gleiche Zimmer means 'two identical rooms', completing the simile of two different ages moving through the same setting."}],"words":[{"surface":"durch","lemma":"durch","morphology":"preposition","role":"depends on gehn","gloss":"through"},{"surface":"zwei","lemma":"zwei","morphology":"numeral","role":"depends on Zimmer","gloss":"two"},{"surface":"gleiche","lemma":"gleich","morphology":"adjective, accusative, neuter, plural","role":"depends on Zimmer","gloss":"identical"},{"surface":"Zimmer","lemma":"Zimmer","morphology":"noun, accusative, neuter, plural","role":"depends on durch","gloss":"rooms"},{"surface":"gehn","lemma":"gehen","morphology":"verb, infinitive","role":"depends on sähe","gloss":"move","note":"'gehn' is a poetic elision of 'gehen'; it is the infinitive completing the accusative-and-infinitive construction with 'sähe' ('watched ... move')."}]},{"number":5,"label":"5","id":"die-schwestern-s2-l1","source":"Jede meint die andere zu stützen,","translation":"Each thinks that she is propping up the other,","stanza":2,"audio":"https://audio.1732studios.com/rilke/die-schwestern-s2-l1.m4a","notes":[{"kind":"grammar","term":"meint … zu stützen","title":"meinen plus a zu-infinitive","body":"meinen means 'to think, believe, suppose'; with a zu-infinitive it reports the subject's own belief about her action: Jede meint ... zu stützen means 'each believes she is propping up the other'. jede means 'each one', standing for the sisters."}],"words":[{"surface":"Jede","lemma":"jeder","morphology":"pronoun, nominative, feminine, singular","role":"depends on meint","gloss":"Each"},{"surface":"meint","lemma":"meinen","morphology":"verb, present, indicative, third-person, singular","role":"main verb of the sentence","gloss":"thinks"},{"surface":"die","lemma":"der","morphology":"determiner, accusative, feminine, singular","role":"depends on andere","gloss":"the"},{"surface":"andere","lemma":"anderer","morphology":"pronoun, accusative, feminine, singular","role":"depends on stützen","gloss":"other"},{"surface":"zu","lemma":"zu","morphology":"particle","role":"depends on stützen","gloss":"to"},{"surface":"stützen","lemma":"stützen","morphology":"verb, infinitive","role":"depends on meint","gloss":"prop up"}]},{"number":6,"label":"6","id":"die-schwestern-s2-l2","source":"während sie doch müde an ihr ruht;","translation":"while in truth she leans on her, worn out;","audio":"https://audio.1732studios.com/rilke/die-schwestern-s2-l2.m4a","notes":[{"kind":"grammar","term":"während sie doch … ruht","title":"während with doch for contrast","body":"während is the subordinating conjunction 'while, whereas', so its verb ruht goes to the end of the clause. The particle doch adds 'yet, in fact', marking a contrast: während sie doch ... ruht means 'while she in fact rests on her'."}],"words":[{"surface":"während","lemma":"während","morphology":"subordinating conjunction","role":"depends on ruht","gloss":"while"},{"surface":"sie","lemma":"sie","morphology":"pronoun, nominative, feminine, singular","role":"depends on ruht","gloss":"she"},{"surface":"doch","lemma":"doch","morphology":"adverb","role":"depends on ruht","gloss":"in truth"},{"surface":"müde","lemma":"müde","morphology":"adjective","role":"depends on ruht","gloss":"worn out"},{"surface":"an","lemma":"an","morphology":"preposition","role":"depends on ruht","gloss":"on"},{"surface":"ihr","lemma":"ihr","morphology":"pronoun, dative, feminine, singular","role":"depends on an","gloss":"her"},{"surface":"ruht","lemma":"ruhen","morphology":"verb, present, indicative, third-person, singular","role":"main verb of the sentence","gloss":"leans"}]},{"number":7,"label":"7","id":"die-schwestern-s2-l3","source":"und sie können nicht einander nützen,","translation":"and neither one can be of use to the other,","audio":"https://audio.1732studios.com/rilke/die-schwestern-s2-l3.m4a","notes":[{"kind":"grammar","term":"einander nützen","title":"A reciprocal pronoun with dative","body":"einander is the invariable reciprocal pronoun 'one another, each other'; it never declines. nützen, 'to be of use, benefit', takes a dative object, so einander nützen means 'to be of use to one another'."}],"words":[{"surface":"und","lemma":"und","morphology":"conjunction","role":"depends on können","gloss":"and"},{"surface":"sie","lemma":"sie","morphology":"pronoun, nominative, plural","role":"depends on können","gloss":"they"},{"surface":"können","lemma":"können","morphology":"auxiliary verb, present, indicative, third-person, plural","role":"main verb of the sentence","gloss":"can"},{"surface":"nicht","lemma":"nicht","morphology":"particle","role":"depends on können","gloss":"not"},{"surface":"einander","lemma":"einander","morphology":"pronoun, dative, plural, reflexive","role":"depends on nützen","gloss":"each other"},{"surface":"nützen","lemma":"nützen","morphology":"verb, infinitive","role":"depends on können","gloss":"be of use to"}]},{"number":8,"label":"8","id":"die-schwestern-s2-l4","source":"denn sie legen Blut auf Blut,","translation":"for they lay blood upon blood,","audio":"https://audio.1732studios.com/rilke/die-schwestern-s2-l4.m4a","notes":[{"kind":"vocabulary","term":"Blut auf Blut","title":"Blood repeated for emphasis","body":"Blut means 'blood', doubled here as Blut auf Blut, 'blood upon blood'. As sisters they share one blood, so stacking like upon like adds nothing new, only more of the same weakness."}],"words":[{"surface":"denn","lemma":"denn","morphology":"conjunction","role":"depends on legen","gloss":"for"},{"surface":"sie","lemma":"sie","morphology":"pronoun, nominative, plural","role":"depends on legen","gloss":"they"},{"surface":"legen","lemma":"legen","morphology":"verb, present, indicative, third-person, plural","role":"main verb of the sentence","gloss":"lay"},{"surface":"Blut","lemma":"Blut","morphology":"noun, accusative, neuter, singular","role":"depends on legen","gloss":"blood"},{"surface":"auf","lemma":"auf","morphology":"preposition","role":"depends on Blut","gloss":"upon"},{"surface":"Blut","lemma":"Blut","morphology":"noun, accusative, neuter, singular","role":"depends on auf","gloss":"blood"}]},{"number":9,"label":"9","id":"die-schwestern-s3-l1","source":"wenn sie sich wie früher sanft berühren","translation":"when, as before, they gently touch each other","stanza":3,"audio":"https://audio.1732studios.com/rilke/die-schwestern-s3-l1.m4a","notes":[{"kind":"grammar","term":"sie sich … berühren","title":"wenn holding its verb to the end","body":"wenn, 'when, whenever', sends its verb berühren to the end of the clause. The reflexive sich reads reciprocally here, sie berühren sich meaning 'they touch one another', with sanft, 'gently', modifying berühren."}],"words":[{"surface":"wenn","lemma":"wenn","morphology":"subordinating conjunction","role":"depends on berühren","gloss":"when"},{"surface":"sie","lemma":"sie","morphology":"pronoun, nominative, plural","role":"depends on berühren","gloss":"they"},{"surface":"sich","lemma":"sich","morphology":"pronoun, accusative, plural, reflexive","role":"depends on berühren","gloss":"each other"},{"surface":"wie","lemma":"wie","morphology":"preposition","role":"depends on früher","gloss":"as"},{"surface":"früher","lemma":"früh","morphology":"adverb","role":"depends on berühren","gloss":"before"},{"surface":"sanft","lemma":"sanft","morphology":"adverb","role":"depends on berühren","gloss":"gently"},{"surface":"berühren","lemma":"berühren","morphology":"verb, present, indicative, third-person, plural","role":"main verb of the sentence","gloss":"touch"}]},{"number":10,"label":"10","id":"die-schwestern-s3-l2","source":"und versuchen, die Allee entlang","translation":"and try, on down the avenue of trees,","audio":"https://audio.1732studios.com/rilke/die-schwestern-s3-l2.m4a","notes":[{"kind":"vocabulary","term":"die Allee entlang","title":"entlang following its noun","body":"die Allee is a tree-lined avenue, from French allée, not just any street. entlang, 'along', is a postposition here, following its noun in the accusative: die Allee entlang means 'along the avenue'."}],"words":[{"surface":"und","lemma":"und","morphology":"conjunction","role":"depends on versuchen","gloss":"and"},{"surface":"versuchen","lemma":"versuchen","morphology":"verb, present, indicative, third-person, plural","role":"depends on und","gloss":"try"},{"surface":"die","lemma":"der","morphology":"determiner, accusative, feminine, singular","role":"depends on Allee","gloss":"the"},{"surface":"Allee","lemma":"Allee","morphology":"noun, accusative, feminine, singular","role":"depends on entlang","gloss":"avenue"},{"surface":"entlang","lemma":"entlang","morphology":"preposition","role":"depends on fühlen","gloss":"along"}]},{"number":11,"label":"11","id":"die-schwestern-s3-l3","source":"sich geführt zu fühlen und zu führen:","translation":"to feel themselves both led and leading on:","audio":"https://audio.1732studios.com/rilke/die-schwestern-s3-l3.m4a","notes":[{"kind":"grammar","term":"sich geführt zu fühlen und zu führen","title":"Two zu-infinitives on one verb","body":"Two zu-infinitives depend on versuchen, 'to try', from the line above: sich geführt zu fühlen means 'to feel oneself led', with geführt, the past participle of führen, used passively; zu führen means 'to lead'. The reflexive sich belongs to fühlen, 'to feel'."}],"words":[{"surface":"sich","lemma":"sich","morphology":"pronoun, accusative, plural, reflexive","role":"depends on geführt","gloss":"themselves"},{"surface":"geführt","lemma":"führen","morphology":"verb, participle","role":"depends on fühlen","gloss":"led"},{"surface":"zu","lemma":"zu","morphology":"particle","role":"depends on fühlen","gloss":"to"},{"surface":"fühlen","lemma":"fühlen","morphology":"verb, infinitive","role":"main verb of the sentence","gloss":"feel"},{"surface":"und","lemma":"und","morphology":"conjunction","role":"depends on fühlen","gloss":"and"},{"surface":"zu","lemma":"zu","morphology":"particle","role":"depends on führen","gloss":"to"},{"surface":"führen","lemma":"führen","morphology":"verb, infinitive","role":"depends on und","gloss":"lead"}]},{"number":12,"label":"12","id":"die-schwestern-s3-l4","source":"ach, sie haben nicht denselben Gang.","translation":"ah, they do not share the same way of walking.","audio":"https://audio.1732studios.com/rilke/die-schwestern-s3-l4.m4a","notes":[{"kind":"vocabulary","term":"denselben Gang","title":"Gang, a word for gait","body":"der Gang means 'walk, gait, the way one moves', from gehen, 'to go, walk'. denselben Gang uses derselbe again, masculine accusative: 'the very same gait'. The line states plainly that the sisters cannot keep step with each other."}],"words":[{"surface":"ach","lemma":"ach","morphology":"interjection","role":"depends on haben","gloss":"ah"},{"surface":"sie","lemma":"sie","morphology":"pronoun, nominative, plural","role":"depends on haben","gloss":"they"},{"surface":"haben","lemma":"haben","morphology":"verb, present, indicative, third-person, plural","role":"main verb of the sentence","gloss":"have"},{"surface":"nicht","lemma":"nicht","morphology":"particle","role":"depends on haben","gloss":"not"},{"surface":"denselben","lemma":"derselbe","morphology":"determiner, accusative, masculine, singular","role":"depends on Gang","gloss":"the same"},{"surface":"Gang","lemma":"Gang","morphology":"noun, accusative, masculine, singular","role":"depends on haben","gloss":"way of walking"}]}]}