To a mouse
Wee, sleeket, cowran, tim'rous beastie, Sleek, tiny, timorous, cowering beast,
O, what panic's in thy breastie! why's such panic in your breast?
Thou need na start awa sae hasty, Why dash away, so quick, so rash,
Wi' bickering brattle! in a frenzied flash
I wad be laith to rin an' chase thee, when I would be loath to run after you
Wi' murd'ring pattle! with a murderous plowstaff!
I'm truly sorry Man's dominion I'm truly sorry Man's dominion
Has broken Nature's social union, has broken Nature's social union,
An' justifies that ill opinion, and justifies that bad opinion
Which makes thee startle, which makes you startle,
At me, thy poor, earth-born companion, when I'm your poor, earth-born companion
An' fellow-mortal! and fellow mortal!
I doubt na, whyles, but thou may thieve; I have no doubt you sometimes thieve;
What then? poor beastie, thou maun live! What of it, friend? You too must live!
A daimen-icker in a thrave A random corn-ear in a shock's
'S a sma' request: a small behest; it-
I'll get a blessin wi' the lave, 'll give me a blessing to know such a loss;
An' never miss't! I'll never miss it!
Thy wee-bit housie, too, in ruin! Your tiny house lies in a ruin,
It's silly wa's the win's are strewin! its fragile walls wind-rent and strewn!
An' naething, now, to big a new ane, Now nothing's left to construct you a new one
O' foggage green! of mosses green
An' bleak December's winds ensuin, since bleak December's winds, ensuing,
Baith snell an' keen! blow fast and keen!
Thou saw the fields laid bare an' wast, You saw your fields laid bare and waste
An' weary Winter comin fast, with weary winter closing fast,
An' cozie here, beneath the blast, and cozy here, beneath the blast,
Thou thought to dwell, you thought to dwell,
Till crash! the cruel coulter past till crash! the cruel iron ploughshare passed
Out thro' thy cell. straight through your cell!
That wee-bit heap o' leaves an' stibble, That flimsy heap of leaves and stubble
Has cost thee monie a weary nibble! had cost you many a weary nibble!
Now thou's turn'd out, for a' thy trouble, Now you're turned out, for all your trouble,
But house or hald. less house and hold,
To thole the Winter's sleety dribble, to endure cold winter's icy dribble
An' cranreuch cauld! and hoarfrosts cold!
But Mousie, thou are no thy-lane, But mouse-friend, you are not alone
In proving foresight may be vain: in proving foresight may be vain:
The best laid schemes o' Mice an' Men, the best-laid schemes of Mice and Men
Gang aft agley, go oft awry,
An' lea'e us nought but grief an' pain, and leave us only grief and pain,
For promis'd joy! for promised joy!
Still, thou art blest, compar'd wi' me! Still, friend, you're blessed compared with me!
The present only toucheth thee: Only present dangers make you flee:
But Och! I backward cast my e'e, But, ouch!, behind me I can see
On prospects drear! grim prospects drear!
An' forward, tho' I canna see, While forward-looking seers, we
I guess an' fear! humans guess and fear!
Wee, sleeket, cowran, tim'rous beastie, Sleek, tiny, timorous, cowering beast,
O, what panic's in thy breastie! why's such panic in your breast?
Thou need na start awa sae hasty, Why dash away, so quick, so rash,
Wi' bickering brattle! in a frenzied flash
I wad be laith to rin an' chase thee, when I would be loath to run after you
Wi' murd'ring pattle! with a murderous plowstaff!
I'm truly sorry Man's dominion I'm truly sorry Man's dominion
Has broken Nature's social union, has broken Nature's social union,
An' justifies that ill opinion, and justifies that bad opinion
Which makes thee startle, which makes you startle,
At me, thy poor, earth-born companion, when I'm your poor, earth-born companion
An' fellow-mortal! and fellow mortal!
I doubt na, whyles, but thou may thieve; I have no doubt you sometimes thieve;
What then? poor beastie, thou maun live! What of it, friend? You too must live!
A daimen-icker in a thrave A random corn-ear in a shock's
'S a sma' request: a small behest; it-
I'll get a blessin wi' the lave, 'll give me a blessing to know such a loss;
An' never miss't! I'll never miss it!
Thy wee-bit housie, too, in ruin! Your tiny house lies in a ruin,
It's silly wa's the win's are strewin! its fragile walls wind-rent and strewn!
An' naething, now, to big a new ane, Now nothing's left to construct you a new one
O' foggage green! of mosses green
An' bleak December's winds ensuin, since bleak December's winds, ensuing,
Baith snell an' keen! blow fast and keen!
Thou saw the fields laid bare an' wast, You saw your fields laid bare and waste
An' weary Winter comin fast, with weary winter closing fast,
An' cozie here, beneath the blast, and cozy here, beneath the blast,
Thou thought to dwell, you thought to dwell,
Till crash! the cruel coulter past till crash! the cruel iron ploughshare passed
Out thro' thy cell. straight through your cell!
That wee-bit heap o' leaves an' stibble, That flimsy heap of leaves and stubble
Has cost thee monie a weary nibble! had cost you many a weary nibble!
Now thou's turn'd out, for a' thy trouble, Now you're turned out, for all your trouble,
But house or hald. less house and hold,
To thole the Winter's sleety dribble, to endure cold winter's icy dribble
An' cranreuch cauld! and hoarfrosts cold!
But Mousie, thou are no thy-lane, But mouse-friend, you are not alone
In proving foresight may be vain: in proving foresight may be vain:
The best laid schemes o' Mice an' Men, the best-laid schemes of Mice and Men
Gang aft agley, go oft awry,
An' lea'e us nought but grief an' pain, and leave us only grief and pain,
For promis'd joy! for promised joy!
Still, thou art blest, compar'd wi' me! Still, friend, you're blessed compared with me!
The present only toucheth thee: Only present dangers make you flee:
But Och! I backward cast my e'e, But, ouch!, behind me I can see
On prospects drear! grim prospects drear!
An' forward, tho' I canna see, While forward-looking seers, we
I guess an' fear! humans guess and fear!
Ad un topo
Lucida minuscola bestiolina paurosa
quale panico
porti in petto!
Non scattare via veloce un lampo!
Se volessi correre a cacciarti
con un arma delittuosa!
Mi dispiace davvero il dominio umano
a spezzare l’unione sociale,
giustifica cattiva opinione
che ti fa spavento,
ma son tuo povero compagno nato in terra
e mortale compare!
Non dubito tu talvolta rubi;
e che? poverino, devi vivere!
Un chicco a caso nel granaio è
piccola richiesta; mi
porta bene una tale perdita;
non mi mancherà!
La tua casetta giace in rovina
i muri fragili esposti ai venti!
Nulla rimane per farne una nuova
del verde muschio
che desola dicembre soffia
forte e ardito!
Vedesti campi nudi e abbandonati
vicino a inveterato inverno
e qui comodo sotto le raffiche
pensi dimorare
finchè crash! Crudele aratro
attraversò la tua cella!
Quel debole ammasso di foglie e strami
ti costò molto rosicchiare!
Ora sconvolto per le tue fatiche
senza casa né niente
a sopportare il gelo dell’inverno
e fredda brina!
Ma amicotopo, non sei solo
a dimostrar l’antivedere vano:
i migliori piani di uomini e topi
spesso vanno storti,
lasciano dolori e mali
per promesse gioie!
Poi in confronto a me sei fortunato!
Solo attuali pericoli ti fugano:
invece, uh! dietro di me vedo
misere prospettive orrende!
Veggenti del futuro noi
indoviniamo i danni!
modern English translation by Michael R. Burch
SONNET, WRITTEN ON THE TWENTY-FIFTH OF JANUARY, 1793,
THE BIRTHDAY OF THE AUTHOR, ON HEARING A THRUSH SING
IN A MORNING
WALK
Sing on, sweet thrush, upon the leafless bough,
Sing on, sweet bird, I listen to thy strain:
See, aged Winter, ‘mid his surly reign,
At thy blythe carol clears his furrow’d brow.
So, in lone Poverty’s dominion drear,
Sits meek Content with light unanxious heart,
Welcomes the rapid moments, bids them part,
Nor asks if they bring aught to hope or fear.
I thank Thee, Author of this opening day!
Thou whose bright sun now gilds yon orient skies!
Riches denied, Thy boon was purer joys,
What wealth could never give nor take away.
Yet come, thou child of poverty and care,
The mite high Heaven bestow’d, that mite with thee I’ll share.
Sonetto, composto il venticinque di gennaio,
1793,
giorno nativo dell’autore, sentendo un tordo
durante una passeggiata matutina
Canta ancora dolce tordo sul ramo spoglio,
canta ancora dolce uccello, la melodia:
ecco inverno vecchio nel suo burbero regno
a liete carole schiarisce il ciglio.
Nel temuto dominio di solinga Povertà
mite siede Gioia cuorleggero senza cure
dà benvenuti i momenti veloci, offre addii
non chiede se portino spemi o paure.
Te ringrazio, autore del giorno che s’apre!
Tu il cui sole brillante dora i tuoi cieli
d’oriente!
Bottini negati, il tuo dono fu gioie più pure,
che ricchezza non potesse dare o trarre.
Dunque vieni figlio di povertà e
preoccupazione,
la briciola che l’alto cielo procurò, con te
quella condividerò.
Nessun commento:
Posta un commento
here we are