The Gloss by Mihai Eminescu-the whole poem
Time will come and time will fly,
All is old, but new in kind;
What is right and what is wry
You should ponder in your mind;
Don't be Hope's or Terror's thrall;
Wave-like things like waves shall pass;
Should they urge or should they call,
Keep as cool as ice or glass.
Many sounds our ears will touch,
Much - before our eyes - will glisten;
Who can bear in mind so much
And to all is fain to listen?
Finding your own self anew
You should loftily stand by,
Even though with vain ado
Time will come and time will fly.
Nor should reason's icy scales
Bend their needle, out of measure,
To'ards the moment with swift sails
Fleetingly disguised as pleasure,
Which is born out of its knell,
- Just for moments, you may find;
To whoever knows it well,
All is old, but new in kind.
In the world's dramatic show,
Deem yourself a looker-on:
Should some men feign joy or woe,
Their true face you'll read anon;
Should they weep or insults dart-
Inwardly rejoicing, lie,
Sifting out from all their art
What is right and what is wry.
Both the future and the past
Are but sides of the same page;
In beginnings, ends are cast
For whoever can be sage;
All that was or e'er will be
In the present we can find;
But as to its vanity,
You should ponder in your mind.
For no matter what appears
By the same means will be swirled.
And for many thousand years,
Mirth and grief have ruled the world;
Other masks - the play's the same;
Other lips - the same tune all;
Duped too often, you keep game:
Don't be Hope's or Terror's thrall.
Have no hope if rogues you see
Soft tongued when victorious;
Fools may top your apogee -
Though you be most glorious;
Never fear, they'll try again
One another to outclass;
Hurry not to join them then;
Wave-like things like waves shall pass.
Siren songs - meant to encage -
Are the nets the world unfurls;
Just to change the cast on stage
It will lure you into whirls;
From temptations stay away;
You should never heed at all
Those who'd lead your ship astray
Should they urge or should they call.
Give their touch a wide, wide birth;
Hold your tongue if they blaspheme;
Since you know what they are worth,
What could your advise redeem?
Let them say whate'er they like:
Never mind whom they surpass;
Lest you should endear some tyke,
Keep as cool as ice or glass.
Keep as cool as ice or glass,
Should they urge or should they call;
Wave-like things like waves shall pass,Don't be Hope's or Terror's thrall;
You should ponder in your mind
What is right and what is wry;
All is old, but new in kind;
Time will come and time will fly.
Andrei Bantas translation
Mihai Eminescu - Glossă
Vreme trece, vreme vine,
Toate-s vechi si noua toate;
Ce e rau si ce e bine
Tu te-ntreaba si socoate;
Nu spera si nu ai teama,
Ce e val ca valul trece;
De te-ndeamna, de te cheama,
Tu ramâi la toate rece.
Multe trec pe dinainte,
În auz ne suna multe,
Cine tine toate minte
Si ar sta sa le asculte?...
Tu aseaza-te deoparte,
Regasindu-te pe tine,
Când cu zgomote desarte
Vreme trece, vreme vine.
Nici încline a ei limba
Recea cumpan-a gândirii
Înspre clipa ce se schimba
Pentru masca fericirii,
Ce din moartea ei se naste
Si o clipa tine poate;
Pentru cine o cunoaste
Toate-s vechi si noua toate.
Privitor ca la teatru
Tu în lume sa te-nchipui:
Joace unul si pe patru,
Totusi tu ghici-vei chipu-i,
Si de plânge, de se cearta,
Tu în colt petreci în tine
Si-ntelegi din a lor arta
Ce e rau si ce e bine.
Viitorul si trecutul
Sunt a filei doua fete,
Vede-n capat începutul
Cine stie sa le-nvete;
Tot ce-a fost ori o sa fie
În prezent le-avem pe toate,
Dar de-a lor zadarnicie
Te întreaba si socoate.
Caci acelorasi mijloace
Se supun câte exista,
Si de mii de ani încoace
Lumea-i vesela si trista;
Alte masti, aceeasi piesa,
Alte guri, aceeasi gama,
Amagit atât de-adese
Nu spera si nu ai teama.
Nu spera când vezi miseii
La izbânda facând punte,
Te-or întrece nataraii,
De ai fi cu stea în frunte;
Teama n-ai, cata-vor iarasi
Între dânsii sa se plece,
Nu te prinde lor tovaras:
Ce e val, ca valul trece.
Cu un cântec de sirena,
Lumea-ntinde lucii mreje;
Ca sa schimbe-actorii-n scena,
Te momeste în vârteje;
Tu pe-alaturi te strecoara,
Nu baga nici chiar de seama,
Din cararea ta afara
De te-ndeamna, de te cheama.
De te-ating, sa feri în laturi,
De hulesc, sa taci din gura;
Ce mai vrei cu-a tale sfaturi,
Daca stii a lor masura;
Zica toti ce vor sa zica,
Treaca-n lume cine-o trece;
Ca sa nu-ndragesti nimica,
Tu ramâi la toate rece.
Tu ramâi la toate rece,
De te-ndeamna, de te cheama;
Ce e val, ca valul trece,
Nu spera si nu ai teama;
Te întreaba si socoate
Ce e rau si ce e bine;
Toate-s vechi si noua toate:
Vreme trece, vreme vine.
Încărcat de LonelyMoonRise în data de 01.11.2008
