IMPARAT SI PROLETAR; EMPEROR AND PROLETARIAN BY MIHAI EMINESCU |
IMPARAT SI PROLETAR EMPEROR AND PROLETARIAN Pe banci de lemn in scunda taverna mohorata On wooden benches of low gloomy pub Unde patrunde ziua printre feresti murdare, Light filters in through filthy windows webs Pe linga mese lunge statea posomorita At the long tables sit morose and drab Cu fete-ntunecoase o ceata pribegita, Grim faces, there a group of drifters club Copii saraci si sceptici ai plebei proletare Poor, skeptic children of proletarian plebs -Ah, zise unul, -spuneti ca omul e o lumina -Ah, said one, -you say man is like a flare Pe lumea asta plina de-amaruri si de chin? Upon this world of bitterness and pains? Nici o scinteie-ntr-insul nu-i candida si plina, He has no candid spark there in his fare Murdara este raza ca globul cel de tina His light is muddy like the earthly sphere Asupra carui dinsul domneste pe deplin. Upon which he today completely reigns -Spuneti-mi ce-i dreptatea? -Cei tari se ingradira - Just tell me, what is justice? The powerful are fenced in. Cu-averea si marirea in cercul lor de legi; With their wealth and grandeur into their nest of laws, Prin bunuri ce furara, in veci vezi cum conspira Forever they conspire to hoard their looted win Contra celor ce dinsii la munca-i osandira Conscripted are to toiling our people and our kin Si le subjuga munca vietii lor intregi. And they subject the product of their entire lives. Unii plini de placere petrec a lor viata, Some spend their lives in pleasure, as if they are in heavens Trec zilele voioase si orele surid, Passing their days rejoycing, their hours go in jests In cupe vin de ambra - iarna gradini, verdeata Their cups hold wine of amber - in winter verdant gardens Vara petreceri, Alpii cu fruntile de gheata, The summertime for parties, the Alps with icy summits Ei fac din noapte ziua si-ai zilei ochi inchid. They turn night into daytime and put their day to rest. Virtutea pentru dinsii ea nu exista. Insa, Virtue to them is inexistent. But, V-o predica caci trebuie sa fie brate tari, They preach it for they need your strength A statelor cara greoaie trebuie-mpinse The heavy wicked state's machine to move Si trebuiesc luptate razboaiele aprinse, And have to fight the fiery wars at length Cind voi murind in singe, ei pot sa fie mari. You die in blood so they can valor prove. Si flotele puternice s-armatele faloase And mighty fleets and the imposing armies Coroanele ce regii le pun pe fruntea lor, The royal crown to crown the royal bloke S-acele milioane ce in gramezi luxoase Those millions piled in heaps of monies Sunt strinse la bogatul, pe cel sarac apasa The rich have gathered to opress the poor Si-s supte din sudoarea prostitului popor Sucked off the sweating of the lumpish folk. Religia - o fraza de dinsii inventata Religion - a story they have themselves invented Ca cu a ei putere sa va aplece-n jug, Its power's hanging over the yoke upon your necks Caci de-ar lipsi din inimi speranta de rasplata, If any hope for pay back is in your heart prevented Dupa ce-amar muncirati mizeri viata toata, After the miser toiling you have all life resented Ati mai purta osanda ca vita de la plug? Would you still bear your burden; that of the plowing ox? Cu umbre care nu sunt v-a-ntunecat vederea They darkened up your vision with inexisting shadows Si v-a facut sa credeti ca veti fi rasplatiti... And made you think that you'll get your righteous reward... Nu! Moartea cu viata a stins toata placerea No! Death wiped off the pleasure; in this life nothing follows Cel ce in asta lume a dus numai durerea The one who in existence only endured sorrows Nimic n-are dincolo caci morti sunt cei muriti. Has nothing hereafter ; they're dead those who depart. Minciuni si fraze-i totul ce statele sustine, It's only lies and phrases that what the states uphold Nu-i ordine fireasca ce ei a fi sustin; That's not natural order; it's just deceitful spin Averea sa le aperi, marirea si-a lor bine, Defended be their grandeur, well-being and their gold, Ei bratul tau inarma ca sa lovesti in tine, They arm you with a weapon; to hit yourself as told, Si pe voi contra voastra la lupta ei va min And they drive you in battle to do harm to your kin. De ce sa fiti voi sclavii milioanelor nefaste, Why should you slaves be to their millions' rot? Voi ce din munca voastra de-abia puteti trai? You, those who of your toiling can barely subsist? De ce boala si moartea sa fie partea voastra, Why should illness and dying be everything you've got Cind ei in bogatia cea splendida si vasta When they within their vast, sublime and splendid lot Petrec ca si in ceruri, n-au timp nici de-a muri? Fare like they are in heaven; death even they resist? De ce uitati ca-n voi e si numar si putere? Do you forget how yours are the number and the power? Cind vreti puteti prea lesne pamantul sa-mparti When willing and so easy you can allot the land Nu le mai faceti ziduri unde sa-nchid-avere, Quit building walls for fortunes secluded in their tower Pe voi unde sa-nchida cind impinsi de durere, They'll jail you when by anguish you're driven to empower, Veti crede c-aveti dreptul si voi ca sa traiti To think that for your life now is right to take a stand Ei ingraditi de lege, placerilor se lasa, They yield to pleasures being protected by the law, Si sucul cel mai dulce pamintului i-l sug; And they despoil the earth of its most tasteful sap; Ei cheama-n voluptatea orgiei zgomotoase They summon to the din of luscious orgies lusters De instrumente oarbe a voastre fiici frumoase; The blind tools of perdition entwine your pretty daugters; Frumsetile-ne tineri batrinii lor distrug. And our youthful beauties their old men wily trap. Si de-ntrebati atunce, voua ce va ramane And if you ask thereafter, just what will be your claim? Munca din care dinsii se-mbata in placeri, Your labour which supplies their intoxicating bliss, Robia viata toata, lacrimi pe-o neagra paine, The drudgery of lifetime, tears on a piece of black bread, Copilelor patate mizeria-n rusine... To your dishonoured daughters the misery of shame... Ei tot si voi nimica; ei cerul, voi dur To them all, to you nothing; them heavens, you remiss! De lege n-au nevoie - virtutea e usoara No need there to be lawful - it's easy to be virtuous Cind ai ce-ti trebuieste,,,Iar legi sunt pentru voi, When you have all that's needed..laws only you will haunt Voua va pune lege, pedepse va masoara To you applies the law and punishments infamous Cind mina v-o intindeti la bunuri zimbitoare, When your hand is trying to reach a tempting thing Caci nu-i iertat nici bratul teribilei nevoi. There is no pardon, even for the most dreadful want Zdrobiti oranduiala cea cruda si nedreapta, This cruel and injust regime you must defy, Ce lumea o imparte in mizeri si bogati! Which splits the world in paupers and in rich Atunci cind dupa moarte rasplata nu v-asteapta, If no reward is waiting for you after you die, Faceti ca-n asta lume sa aiba parte dreapta, Make for a rightful sharing of fortunes to apply, Egala fiecare si sa traiti ca frati! Equality, fraternity to all, without a glitch! Sfarmati statuia goala a Venerei antice, Smash down the naked statue of the antique Venere, Ardeti acele pinze cu corpuri de ninsori; Burn up canvases painting the snow-white skin so nice Ele stirnesc in suflet idea neferice They cause the spirit to the hapless idea to adhere A perfectiei umane si ele fac sa pice Of flawlessness in humans and cause to disappear In ghearele uzurei copile din popor Young daughters from the people into the grip of vice! Sfarmati tot ce atata inima lor bolnava Smash up all that their wicked heart engages Sfarmati palate, temple, ce crimele ascund, Smash palaces and temples which their crimes conceal, Zvirliti statui de tirani in foc, sa curga lava, Hurl tyrants' statues into the fiery lava's purges Sa spele de pe pietre pina si urma sclava Let it wash off the footprints of their slavish stooges Celor ce le urmeaza pin' la al lumii fund Who to the final ending will follow at their heel. Sfarmati tot ce arata mandrie si avere, Smash up all that is showing their vanity and wealth O! Dezbracati viata de haina-i de granit, Oh! Strip life too of its hard granite coating, De purpura, de aur de lacrimi, de urat... Of purple, gold, of tears and ugliness Sa fie un vis numai, sa fie o parere, Let it be just a dream, let it be fancy stealth Ce far' de patimi trece in timpul nesfarsit. Devoid of passions, shift to timeless floating. Ziditi din darmature gigantici piramide, Huge pyramids build up out of the wreckage, Ca un memento mori pe al istoriei plan Like a memento mori; the history's reply Aceasta este arta ce sufletu-ti deschide This is the art which to your soul gives passage Naintea veciniciei, nu corpul gol ce rade Before eternity, not the nude, laughing image Cu mutra de vanduta ,cu ochi vil si viclean. The face of depravation, the wicked, wily eye. O! Aduceti potopul, destul voi asteptarati Oh! the deluge is wanted, your wait was long and timeous! Ca sa vedeti ce bine prin bine o sa ias' To see the good that's coming out of the goods delayed Nimic...Locul hienei il lua cel vorbaret, Nothing...The old hyena replaced by the loquacious Locul cruzimii veche, cel lins si pizmataret, Instead of aged cruelty, you have the slick and envious Formele se schimbara dar raul a ramas. The forms for now are changed, but the old evil stayed. Atunci va veti intoarce la vremile-aurite, Then you'll return once more to fabled golden ages, Ce mitele albastre ni le soptesc ades, Which the blue myth in whispered voice unlocks, Placerile egale, egal vor fi-mpartite, Dividing equal pleasures all equally in stages, Chiar moartea cind va stinge lampa vietii finite, When Death itself the light of finite life expunges, Vi s-a parea un inger cu parul blond si des. It will recall an angel with his blond curly locks. Atunci veti muri lesne fara de-amar si grija Then you will die at ease, no rancor and no cares Feciorii-or trai-n lume cum voi ati vietuit, Your lads will live in mankind the way you lived your life, Chiar clopotu n-a plinge cu limba lui de spija Churchbells will not lament as called in by the mores Pentru acel de care norocul avu grija; For him, to whom the luck has answered all his prayers; Nimeni de-a plinge n-are, el traiul si-a trait. No one has grounds for crying, his living time was rife. Si boale ce mizeria s-averea nefireasca Paupery and excesses bring illness in extent Le nasc in oameni, toate cu-ncetul s-or topi; And manifest in humans, will slowly fade away; Va creste tot ce-n lume este menit sa creasca, What's meant to grow, will grow to heart's content, Va bea pana-n fund cupa, pan' va vrea s-o zdrobeasca, He'll drink life's cup entirely and smash it when it's spent, Caci va muri cand nu va avea la ce trai. When there will be no reason his parting to delay. .................................................................................................................................................................... Pe malurile Senei In faeton de gala, Along the Seine in his resplendent coach Cezarul trece palid in ginduri adincit; Pale, Caesar passes lonely, his meditation jumbled Al undelor greu vuiet, vuirea in granit The waters' heavy rumble, the hoofs on granite rumbled A sute d'echipajuri gindirea-i n-o inseala; Of horses in the hundreds, his reasoning encroach Poporul loc ii face tacut si umilit The people pull aside in silence, humbled. Zimbirea lui desteapta, adanca si tacuta, The smiling face, astute, intensely quiet, Privirea-i ce citeste in suflete-omenesti, The gaze able to read the depth of human mind, Si mana-i care poarta destinele lumesti, His hand firmly controls the destins of mankind, Cea grupa zdrentuita in cale-i o saluta This ragged mob which bows, is also set to riot Marirea-i e in taina legata de acesti. His grandeur is in secret connected to their kind. Convins ca voi el este-n naltimea-i solitara He is convinced the grandeur he upholds Lipsita de iubire, cum ca principiul rau, Bereft of loving, is the wicked's rule, Nedreptul si minciuna al lumii duce frau: Iniquity and falsehood reign the world, the fool Istoria umana in veci se desfasoara, The history of humans eternally unfolds Povestea-i a ciocanului ce cade pe ilau. Hammer on anvil hitting is the rule Si el - el virful mandru al celor ce apasa And he himself, the pinnacle oppressor Saluta-n a lui cale pe-aparatorul mut. Salutes the silent keeper along the road alone. De ati lipsi din lume, voi cauza-ntunecoasa, For if the world would miss you, the transgressor, De rasturnari marete, marirea-i radioasa, The cause of great upheavals, his radiant grandeur, Cezarul, chiar Cezarul de mult ar fi cazut. Caesar himself, the Caesar would long ago be gone. Cu ale voastre umbre nimica crezatoare, With you, distrusting shadows in your plight, Cu zimbetu-va rece, de mila parasit, Your cold smile which no lenience relates Cu mintea de dreptate si bine razatoare, Your righteous mind inclined to spite, Cu umbra voastra numai, puteri ingrozitoare, Using yours shadow's dreadful might La jugu-i el sileste pe cei ce l-au urit. He forces his domain on those he hates. .................................................................................................................................................................... Parisul arde-n valuri, furtuna-n el se scalda Paris, a sea of fire, a tempest burning spree Turnuri ca facle negre troznesc arzind in vint... Black towers burn like torches bursting up in the gloom Prin limbile de flacari ce-n valuri se framint, Out of the tongues of flares twisting in waves of doom, Racnete, vuiet de-arme patrund marea cea calda Yelling and clinks of weapons cut through the fiery sea Evul e un cadavru - Paris al lui mormant The Old Age's a cadaver - and Paris is its tomb Pe stradele-ncrusite de flacari orbitoare, Down in the streets illumined by blazing bursts of flame Suiti pe baricade de bulgari de granit, Atop the barricades made out of granite stones, Se misc-batalioane a plebei proletare, The proletarian plebs battalions raising claim, Cu cusme frigiene, cu arme lucitoare, With their frigian bonnets, their shining arms reclaim, Si clopote de-arama ce rasuna ragusit. And copper bells which sound in hoarsy tones Ca marmura de albe, ca ea nepasatoare, Pale-skinned like whiten marble, like marble uninspired Prin aerul cel rosu, femei trec cu-arme-n brat, Arms- bearing women passing into the red air haze Cu par bogat si negru pe umeri se coboara With thick black hair downfalling to their shoulders Si sinii lor acopar; e ura si turbare To cover their breasts; they carry rage and hatred In ochii lor cei negri, adinci si desperati. And utter desperation deep in their black eyes craze O! Lupta-te-nvalira in pletele-ti bogate O! Fight wound up in rich hair flowing spin Eroic este astazi copilul cel pierdut! Of the lost child of yore, the hero grew! Caci flamura cea rosa cu umbra-i de departe For the red flag away there with its shade Sfinteste a ta viata de tina si pacate; Absolves your life of miseries and sin; Nu, nu esti tu de vina ci cei ce te-au vandut! No, not your fault, but theirs who sold you! ................................................................................................................................................... Scinteie marea lina si placele ei sure The glossy sea, a glitter of gray tides to the fullest Se misca una pe-alta ca paturi de cristal They're moving in and out like crystal slates Prin lume pravalite; din tainica padure Descending on the world out of the mystic forest, Apare luna mare cimpiilor azure, The moon shines over the blue fields in its broadest, Implindu-le cu ochiul ei mindru, triumfal. Which splendid and triumphant her vision permeates. Pe undele incete isi misca leganate Upon the gently moving waves they sway Corabii invechite scheletele de lemn; Old wooden ships sail driven by the gusts Trecind incet ca umbre - tin pinzele umflate, Pass slowly on, like shadows on their way In fata lunei care prin ele-atunci strabate, Moon's light sends into their full sails its ray Si-n roata de foc galben sta fata-i ca un semn. Its fiery yellow circle, a warning omen casts Pe maluri zdrumicate de aiurirea marii Upon the shore eroded by agitated breakers, Cezaru-nca vegheaza la trunchiul cel plecat Caesar's still waking there by the tilted trunk Al salciei pletoase si-ntinse-a apei arii Of the old weeping willow, on spacious open waters In cercuri fulgerinde se pleaca lin suflarii The swell of wind forms sparkling circles clusters A zefirului noptii si suna cadentat Of nightly Zephyros and sound in cadenced clunk Ii pare ca prin aer in noaptea instelata, A semblance's passing airy across the starry sky, Calcind pe virf de codri, pe-a apelor mariri, Treading high above treetops, on waters austere Trecea cu barba alba pe fruntea-ntunecata White beard; dark shadows on his forehead lie Cununa cea de paie ii atirna uscata, The wilted crown of weeds is hanging dry, Mosneagul rege Lear. The elderly king Lear. Uimit privea Cezarul la umbra cea din nouri, Amazed was watching Caesar the ghost up in the heights Prin creti ai carei stele lin tremurind transpar, Transparing through the stars' smooth twinkling I se deschide-n minte tot sensul din tablouri A hidden sense appears out of the bygone sights A vietii sclipitoare...A popoarelor ecouri Of glittering life..... Echoes of people's sound bites Par glasuri ce imbraca o lume de amar; Appear to be voices out of a world despairing; "In orice om o lume isi face incercarea " In any human being a world attempts to surface Batrinul Demiurgos se opinteste-n van; Old Demiurgos's stressing vainly in the proud; In orice minte lumea isi pune intrebarea In any mind returns the asking sentence: Din nou: de unde vine si unde merge floarea -Wherefrom it comes and whereto goes the essence Dorintelor obscure sadite in noian?" Of the obscure longings implanted in the crowd?" Al lumii-ntregul sambur, dorinta-i si marirea, Yearning for grandeur sits at the world's core, In inima oricarui-i ascuns si traitor, It lives absconded deeply into the heart of man, Zvarlire hazardata, cum pomu-n inflorire Hazardous thrusting by the blooming tree of lore In orice floare-ncearca intreaga a sa fire, Which up Into each flower its essence tries to pour, Ci-n calea de-a da roade cele mai multe mor. In dieing ends for many their delicate life span. Astfel umana roada in calea ei ingheata, Also the fruit of humans is iced up in its way, Se petrifica unu-in sclav, altu-mparat, One petrified as slave, another king by call Acoperind cu noime sarmana lui viata, In nonsense clad his poor life's disarray Si aratind la soare-a mizeriei lui fata, And sunlight shows his face worn by dismay, Fata -caci intelesul-i acelasi la toti dat. Just a facade absconding, a meaning same for all In veci aceleasi doruri mascate cu-alta haina, Eternally same longings disguised in other dress Si-n toata omenirea in veci acelasi om And always in the humans an only man of note In multe forme-apare a vietii cruda taina, Life's cruel secrets many forms express Pe toti ea ii insala , la nimeni se destaina, Deceiving all, to no one they profess, Dorinti nemarginite plantind intr-un atom. Unlimited desires implanting in a mote. Cind stii ca visu-acesta cu moarte se sfirseste, You know that all this dreaming in dying ends at last, Ca-n urma-ti ramin toate astfel cum sunt, de dregi And all you leave behind you is equally unfurled Oricit ai drege-n lume - atunci te oboseste Despite of all you managed - then weariness is fast Eterna alergare si-atunci te-ademeneste: Of the eternal rushing; you're tempted to forecast "Ca vis al mortii-eterne e viata lumii-ntregi". "That dream of death eternal the life is of this world" Mihai Eminescu, Translation by Stefan Ichim, M.D. 1874, December, 1. 2008, March 24 |