EMINESCU CE TE LEGENI CODRULE TRANSLATED FROM ROMANIAN |
CE TE LEGENI CODRULE? WHY’RE YOU SWAYING FOREST TREES? -Ce te legeni codrule, -Why are you swaying forest trees, Fara ploaie, fara vint, Without rain and without winds, Cu crengile la pamint? Touching the earth with your limbs? -De ce nu m-as legana, -Why should I not swing in tune, Daca trece vremea mea! When my time is ending soon! Ziua scade, noaptea creste Day is weaning, night is growing Si frunzisul mi-l rareste And my foliage is blowing. Bate vintul frunza-n dunga, Wind blows sideways on my leaves, Cintaretii mi-i alunga Drives away my vocalists Bate vintul dintr-o parte- Blows a broadside from ajar Iarna-i ici , vara-i departe- Winter’s here, summer’s afar Si dece sa nu ma plec, Why should I not bend and sway, Daca pasarile trec! If the birds pass far way! Peste virf de ramurele Over treetop twigs away Trec in stoluri rindunele Pass the swallow flocks their way Ducind gindurile mele Carying my thoughts astray Si norocul meu cu ele. And my luck along the way. Si se duc, pe rind pe rind, And they go, in rows they fly, Zarea lumii-ntunecind Clouding the horizon's sky Si se duc ca clipele, And they go like fleeting time, Scuturind aripele Fluttering their wings they climb Si ma lasa pustiit, And they leave me nude and bleak, Vestejit si amortit, Wilted, blunt, and numb and weak, Si cu dorul singurel, With my longing, left alone, De ma-ngin numai cu el. To find solace on my own. Mihail Eminescu Translated by Stefan Ichim, M.D. December 1883 January 20, 2008 |