Literal:
An old potter at his wheel
Clay and dirt mould and deal
My inner eye would reveal
My father’s dust bears his seal.
Meaning:
From dirt and dust come into view
Back into dust for review
And the cycles continue;
Though same for all, seen by few.
Fitzgerald:
Listen again. One Evening at the CloseOf Ramazan, ere the better Moon arose,
In that old Potter's Shop I stood alone
With the clay Population round in Rows.
German: Einen Töpfer hab‘ ich heim Werke gesehen
Den Krügen Hälse und Henkel zu drehen;
Er nahm den Stoff zu den Thongeschöpfen
Aus Bettlerfüssen und Königsköpfen.
Literal:
Once transpired, cannot be changed
Only pain will come if remorse engaged
Though with sorrow you may be aged
Not even a dot will be rearranged.
Meaning:
Once transpired, asleep or awake
Even with sorrow, pain and heart ache
Nothing will change, nothing will shake
You can only look for another break
And your chance take, a new life make.
Fitzgerald:
With Earth's first Clay They did the Last Man's knead,And then of the Last Harvest sow'd the Seed:
Yea, the first Morning of Creation wrote
What the Last Dawn of Reckoning shall read.
German: Urewig vargezeichnet ist der Dinge Kern;
Der Griffel bleibt dem Guten wie dem Bösen fern;
Was Gott als Schicksal vorbestimmt, muß sich vollenden
Mag, wie er will, der eitle Mensch sich drehn und wenden.
Literal:
Each drop of wine that is spilt
Burnt deep in my heart and sorrow built
I drink wine while prayer thou wilt
The water that quenched the fire of my guilt.
Meaning:
Every joyous moment you waste
Deprive yourself of heavenly taste
Confess, repent, praise, or be chaste
Towards your grave you’ll go with haste.
Fitzgerald:
The mighty Mahmud, the victorious Lord,That all the misbelieving and black Horde
Of Fears and Sorrows that infest the Soul
Scatters and slays with his enchanted Sword.
German: Kein Tröpflein gießt der Schenke je in den Sand,
Das keinem Auge lechzt des Leides Brand!
So ist – gelobt sei Gott – der Wein ein Nass
Das unsres Herzens tausend Schmerzen bannt.
Literal:
Alas the youthful fire is a dying ember
The spring of life has reached December
What is termed youth, I vaguely remember
But know not whence and how from life’s chamber.
Meaning:
In later days I look behind
And with remorse I only find
Zestful youth, unaware and blind
To passage of time, fate of mankind.
OR
The only constant is time’s passage
Which is the same for both fool and sage
To young and old time’s only message
Engage in joy, put away your rage
From the unknown set foot upon the stage
And leaving this cage one day is your wage.
Fitzgerald:
Alas, that Spring should vanish with the Rose!That Youth's sweet-scented Manuscript should close!
The Nightingale that in the Branches sang,
Ah, whence, and whither flown again, who knows!
German: Ach, des Lebens Mai naht dem Ziele,
Vorbei sind dir Freunden und Spiele!
Dieser Vogel der Fröhlichkeit
Genannt die Jugendzeit.
Schwang fort sein Gefieder,
Und kommt nicht wieder!
Ich weiß nicht, wann er gekommen,-
Und wohin den weg er genommen.
Literal:
In the cosmic game of polo you are the ball
The mallet’s left and right becomes your call
He who causes your movements, your rise and fall
He is the one, the only one, who knows it all.
Meaning:
In the cosmic there is a flow
To which you must submit and bow
And though you act in this show
And seem to move to and fro
The plot you’ll never get to know
The only way you get to grow
Align yourself with this flow.
Fitzgerald:
The Ball no Question makes of Ayes and Noes,But Right or Left as strikes the Player goes;
And He that toss'd Thee down into the Field,
He knows about it all--HE knows--HE knows!
German: O Du! vom Los getrieben wie vom Schlägel Ballen,
Der Du in Lust des Wein‘s und der Huris gefallen,
Du bist gefallen auf das ewigen Geheiss;
Er ist es, der es weiss, der‘s weiss, der‘s weiss, der‘s weiss.
Literal:
From the depths of earth to heights of Saturn
We’ve solved all riddles, turn after turn
Break every chain, our ignorance burn
Except the riddle that fills the urn.
Meaning:
From the electron to distant stars
From before the wheel to futuristic cars
We’ve solved them all, broken all bars
Except the riddle of deadly scars.
Fitzgerald:
Up from Earth's Centre through the seventh GateI rose, and on the Throne of Saturn sate,
And many Knots unravel'd by the Road;
But not the Knot of Human Death and Fate.
German: Vom Erdenland durch sieben Tore trug
Mich auf Saturnus Thron der Geisterflug.
Und manches Räetsel löst sich unterwegs,
Bis ich umsonst nach Tod und Schicksal frug.
Literal:
Tonight I shall embrace a gallon cup
With at least two cups of wine I‘ll sup
I’ll divorce my mind and religion stop
With daughter of vine, all night I’ll stay up.
Meaning:
When intellect is my king
Or religion my soul string
I clip the bird of joy’s wing.
Drunk with joy, I’ll only sing
And to this world love will bring.
Fitzgerald:
You know, my Friends, how long since in my HouseFor a new Marriage I did make Carouse:
Divorced old barren Reason from my Bed,
And took the Daughter of the Vine to Spouse.
German:
Bringt einen Becher mir, so gross, daß, man ihn schwer nur hebe.
Wenn man ihn auch nur zweimal leert, zum Rausch genügen muß es schon.
Zuerst will ich von der Vernunft mich scheiden und der Religion,
Und mich vermählen dann sofort dem bolden Kind der Rebe.
Literal:
Wherever you go in the land of God
Flowers bloom from kingly blood
Violet with its colorful shroud
Was a beauty mole on a face once proud.
Meaning:
Every beauty that we praise
From prior valor must raise.
Beautiful face that lovers amaze
Becomes a flower upon which we gaze.
Beauty transforms from phase to phase.
Fitzgerald:
I sometimes think that never blows so redThe Rose as where some buried Caesar bled;
That every Hyacinth the Garden wears
Dropt in its Lap from some once lovely Head.
German: Erblickt ihr eine Rose, prächtig rot,
So denkt: darunter liegt ein mächt‘ger König tot;
Und seht ihr einen Krokus blüh‘n, so glaubt:
Ein schönes Weib, nun tot, verlor ihn einst vom Haupt.
Literal:
Beloved friends let us gather
For each other, together care
With raised cups salute and share
In memory of he who isn’t there.
Meaning:
Let us gather in a friendly group
And together form divine loving troop
When to dark angel we kneel and stoop
We’ll be taken out of this friendly loop.
Fitzgerald:
And when Thyself with shining Foot shall passAmong the Guests Star-scatter'd on The Grass,
And in Thy joyous Errand reach the Spot
Where I made one--turn down an empty Glass!
German: O meine Freunde, gelobt, einst munter Euch
Hier zu versammeln, wenn ich nicht mehr unter Euch
Den Pokal voll Alten Weins zu schenken
Und trinkend des armen Chajjam zu gedenken.
Literal:
The grass that grows by every stream
Like angelic smiles faintly gleam
Step gently, cause it not to scream
For it has grown from a lover’s dream.
Meaning:
Every creature honor and respect
Bird or beast, plant or insect
If you look at life you will detect
From dust to dust, divine intellect.
Fitzgerald:
And this delightful Herb whose tender GreenFledges the River's Lip on which we lean--
Ah, lean upon it lightly! for who knows
From what once lovely Lip it springs unseen!
German: So schön, wie den schönsten Lippen entsprungen
Hält der blumige Rasen den Bach umschlungen.
Betritt nicht versächtlich dies zarte Grün,
Drin vergangene Schönheiten neu erblühn.
©
1998,
Vancouver Canada, 1999 - 2003, Los Angeles, CA
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This page was last updated on Thursday, April 22, 2010