Discalimer

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Saturday, November 5, 2022

For Your sake

I was looking through some Romanian Christian poems. I do that when I miss my mother. I try to remember her voice reciting poems or singing songs. One of her favorite authors was Costache Ioanid, so I have decided to translate, very poorly, one of his poems. 

 

                 De dragul Tău          For Your sake

             de Costache Ioanid           by Costache Ioanid

 

Ce dor frumos, ce Rai ne leagă!   What beautiful yearning, what Heaven binds us! 
Eu cânt cu lacrimi, Tu le-alini  I sing with tears, You wipe them away,  
De dragul Tău mi-e lumea dragă, For your sake the world is dear to me, 

că-n ea Te văd și-n flori și-n spini.  For in it I see You both in flowers and thorns. 

În crinii albi Ți-e sărutarea,  The white lilies hide Your kiss, 
în maci văd sânge pe Calvar. In poppies I see the blood of Calvary. 
De dragul Tău mi-e dragă marea  For Your sake I love the sea 
și cerul fără de hotar!                    And the limitless sky! 

În bulgări reci Te văd cum sameni  In cold lumps of dirt I see You sowing, 
și-n spini văd pașii sângerați.          And in the thorns I see Your bloodied steps.  
De dragul Tău iubesc pe oameni;    For Your sake I love people; 
azi sunt străini, mâini, poate frați!   Today's strangers, tomorrow might be brothers!

Când turme trec ducându-și dorul    When flocks pass by carrying their yearnings  
și spune-un fluier: "Sunt cu voi!"     And a flute is saying, ‘I’m with you!’
de dragul Tău mi-e drag păstorul      For Your sake I love the shepherd, 
ce-și pune pieptul pentru oi!             That bares his breast out for the sheep! 

În cei aleși Îți văd iubirea,               In the elect ones I see Your love
cu ei cântându-Ți psalmi în văi...   Singing You Psalms with them in valleys, 
De dragul Tău le sorb privirea;       For Your sake I drink in their eyes,
pe-obrajii lor, sărut pe-ai Tăi!        And I kiss their cheeks imagining they’re Yours! 

Și cât mi-e dat să nu-Ți văd fața,    And when it’s my lot not to see Your face, 
dorit de stele ca un mag,                 Desired by the stars as a wise man,  
de dragul Tău mi-e dragă viața,     For Your sake I love life, 
și moartea nu-i decât un prag...      And death is nothing but a threshold ... 

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