Der Weg


Letter, in German I believe.
I thought about typing it out and sending it through Babelfish, but I'd just make a mess of things.

Found in "Westward Ho!" by Charles Kingsley. Published by the Heritage Press, in slipcase, 1947.


2 comments:

  1. My German is way too rusty, but it's titled 'The Way.' There's a lot of talk about ascending a mountain that's a metaphore for life or something. Some stuff about parents and children.

    Some sort of religious/philosophical essay I think.

    /cut to next comment, where a German tells us it's a joke about woman drivers or something. :)

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  2. I´m german and thought to give it a try.
    The translation should be correct though probably not as eloquent as the original ; )
    it seems to be a sort of poem.

    The Way

    So many ways lead to the summit of the mountain trough wonderful valleys with juicy meadows and fertile fields,over hills with stony paths, then on over ravines out through steep stone cliffs. Hard and laboriously is the ascent, always just onward the gaze of the wanderer goes but infront of a cliff he looks back on the distance already passed, ever harder this mounting feels to him.
    The top of the mountain witch lay so near at the start , disappears from his view in the thick fog but again and again he´s pulling himself together.Only his unshakable faith in actually reaching the goal, enables him to mobilize unknown power.Yes, that´s how the way of life is.
    Lovingly cared for by mother lays the child in the cradle , a carefree,innocent smile on his face, not knowing of all that life demands.
    How fast do the years go by under the care of the parents and the child grows into a strong lad.Then in him his conscience begins to rise, he develops an independent mind growing into his wants and needs.Under the influence of destiny, his mind broadens and on the horizon he can make out in blurry outlines the floating goal, with age it is becoming ever clearer, but temporarily covered in fog it disappears from his sight just to glow again clearer and more beautiful than ever.
    Full with expectations on the young man walks over rose covert paths through the spring of life.

    It blooms the rose,
    luck smiles appon him;
    he only knows a daring
    but never going back.


    longingly virginal looks stick on the daring one,
    who always looking ahead, follows his goal.

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