8/12/2019 Rainer Maria Rilke - Solang du Selbstgeworfnes fängst - As long as it's yourself

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Rainer Maria Rilke

Solang du Selbstgeworfnes fängst, ist allesGeschicklichkeit und läßlicher Gewinn -;erst wenn du plötzlich Fänger wirst des Balles,den eine ewige it-Spielerindir zuwarf, deiner itte, in genaugekonnte! Schwung, in eine! "ener Bögenaus Gottes große! Br#cken-Bau$erst dann ist Fangen-%önnen ein &er!ögen, -nicht deines, einer 'elt( )nd wenn du garzur#ckzuwerfen %raft und ut besäßest,nein, wunderbarer$ ut und %raft *ergäßestund schon geworfen hättest((((( +wie das ahrdie &ögel wirft, die 'ander*ogelschwär!e,die eine ältre einer "ungen 'är!ehin#berschleudert #ber eere - erstin diese! 'agnis spielst du g#ltig !it(.rleichterst dir den 'urf nicht !ehr; erschwerstdir ihn nicht !ehr( /us deinen 0änden trittdas eteor und rast in seine 1äu!e(

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/s long as it3s 4ourself 4ou3re throwing to,all is skill and tri*ial gain(5nl4 when 4our hand suddenl4 catches the ballan eternal fe!ale partner threwright at 4our core in a tra"ector4that is an arch in God3s *ast edi6ce 7then is abilit4 to catch a glor4 7not 4ours; the world3s(

/nd if 4ou should possess the strength and daringto return the shot 7no, still !ore wonderful, if 4ou forgot daring and strengthand had alread4 hurled the ball+as an old 4ear throws swar!s of !igrator4 birdsacross the world that aging war!th tosses to 4outhful war!th 7then onl4 in such risks 4our pla4ing !atters(8ow 4ou no longer tr4 for eas4 prizes,nor do 4ou strain for what is hard and 9atters 4our prowess(5ut of 4our hand rises the !eteorand speeds into its spaces(

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/s long as 4ou catch what 4ou3*e thrown 4ourself, it3s all "ust cle*er agilit4 and *enial gain;

but when 4ou suddenl4 co!e to catch a ball

8/12/2019 Rainer Maria Rilke - Solang du Selbstgeworfnes fängst - As long as it's yourself

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an eternal pla4!ate has thrownat 4ou, at 4our center, has e:actl4 setin !astered !otion, in an arcout of God3s great bridge-building -then that 4ou catch is real power$not 4ours, the world3s( /nd when 4ou e*enha*e the strength to throw it back,no, better 4et$ ha*e forgotten courage and strengthand thrown it back alread4(((+the wa4 the 4earthrows birds, the 9ocks of !igrating birdshurled o*er the ocean fro! an old to a newwar!th - then, that ga!ble, is the 6rst !o!ent4ou too can be said to pla4( ouunburden 4ourself of the throw no longer; 4ou burden4ourself with the throw no longer( 5ut of 4our hands stepsthe !eteor and it races into its skies(((

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/s long as 4ou catch self-thrown thingsit<s all de:terit4 and *enial gain-;onl4 when suddenl4 4ou hold that ballwhich she, one of the eternal pla4ers,has tossed to 4ou, to 4our center, witha precisel4 "udged throw, in one of those arcsthat e:ist in God<s great bridge s4ste!$onl4 then is catching a pro6cienc4,-not 4ours, a world<s( /nd if then 4ou hadthe strength and courage to return the throw-no, !ore wonderful = forgot strength and courageand had thrown alread4>(+the wa4 the 4earthrows the birds, those !igrating bird swar!s,which an older to a 4ounger war!th sendscatapulting across oceans- onl4 inthat *enture would 4ou trul4 pla4 the ga!e(8o longer !aking the toss eas4; no longer !akingit hard( 5ut of 4our hands the !eteorwould launch itself and 9a!e into its spaces>