Blake, William: The Tiger

Tiger, tiger, burning bright
In the forests of the night,
What immortal hand or eye
Could frame thy fearful symmetry?

In what distant deeps or skies
Burnt the fire of thine eyes?
On what wings dare he aspire?
What the hand dare seize the fire?

And what shoulder, and what art
Could twist the sinews of thy heart?
And, when thy heart began to beat,
What dread hand and what dread feet?

What the hammer? What the chain?
In what furnace was thy brain?
What the anvil? What dread grasp
Dare its deadly terrors clasp?

When the stars threw down their spears,
And water’d heaven with their tears,
Did He smile His work to see?
Did He who made the Lamb make thee?

Tiger, tiger, burning bright
In the forests of the night,
What immortal hand or eye
Dare frame thy fearful symmetry?

Tiger, Tiger, Feuerspracht
in der Dschungeln dunkler Nacht:
Welches Aug', welch ew'ge Hand
formten Deines Schreckens Brand?

In welch' Himmeln ungeheuer
schmolzen Deiner Augen Feuer?
Auf welch' Flügeln, unbenannt,
flog der, der ergriff den Brand?

Welcher Schulter Können wand
Deines Herzens Sehnenstrang?
Wer, als Herzens Schlag begann,
furchtbar Hand und Fuß ersann?

Welche Kett' und Hammer fand
in welch' Kessel den Verstand?
Welcher Amboß, welche Welt
Deine Todesschrecken hält?

Als der Sterne Speer herab
Tränen unserm Himmel gab:
Hat vollbracht er's und gelacht,
sowohl Lamm wie Dich gemacht?

Tiger, Tiger, Feuerspracht
in den Dschungeln dunkler Nacht:
Welches Auge, welche Hand
wagten Deines Schreckens Brand?