Текст песни Райнер Мария Рильке - Познание смерти

Knowledge of death
per. Konstantin Bogatyrev

We don't know anything about leaving
gone once and for all. And not for us
to judge death, running ahead,
staring at shifted features

on the mask of a tragic end.
While we're here to play roles
in the hope of a glorious actor's share, -
plays death on his own behalf.

But you left, and to us at the same time
a ray of authenticity penetrated the same gap,
in which you disappeared from our scene:
ray of reality, hitherto unknown to us.

And we are stubbornly chasing glory,
we revel in our game ...
But breaking out of our drama
your existence sometimes

as if pulling us out of captivity,
to inspire us with the authenticity of reality.
And in those minutes we selflessly
playing life without thinking about fame.