Oh Mensch! Gieb Acht!
Was spricht die tiefe Mitternacht?
“Ich schlief, ich schlief—,
Aus tiefem Traum bin ich erwacht:—
Die Welt ist tief,
Und tiefer als der Tag gedacht.
Tief ist ihr Weh—,
Lust – tiefer noch als Herzeleid:
Weh spricht: Vergeh!
Doch alle Lust will Ewigkeit
will tiefe, tiefe Ewigkeit!”
Careful translation:
O Man! Attend!
What says the deep Midnight?
“I sleep, I sleep—
Deeply dreaming, I am awakened—
The World is deep,
and deeper than the day had thought.
Deep is the Woe —
Desire — deeper yet than grief:
Woe says: pass by!
But Desire wants Eternity,
deeply wants Eternity!
Freer:
O Man! Attend!
What says the deepest night?
“I sleep, I sleep,
but deeply dreaming, I awake!
The World is deep,
and deeper than we think in daylight.
Woe is deep,
But Desire is deeper — deeper even than grief.
Woe says: let go!
Desire says: hold on!
Hold on for Eternity.
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