Bodleian quatrain nr. 121
Cadell 1899 - 141
In boyhood oft we to our teacher hied,
In our own wisdom took a joyous pride.
What was the matter's end? What do we know?
"As water came we, and as wind we go."
FitzGerald 1859 - 27
Myself when young did eagerly frequent
Doctor and Saint, and heard great Argument
About it and about: but evermore
Came out by the same Door as in I went.
FitzGerald 1859 - 28
With them the Seed of Wisdom did I sow,
And with my own hand labour'd it to grow:
And this was all the Harvest that I reap'd-
"I came like Water, and like Wind I go."
Garner 1898 - 135
In youth my thoughts on wisdom e'er were bent
And with my learning was I well content,
Until a whisper reached me from the waste:
"From the dust I came, and into the wind I went."
Grolleau 1902 - 121
Jeunes, nous avons quelque temps fréquenté un maître,
Quelque temps nous fûmes heureux de nos progrès;
Vois le fond de tout cela: que nous arriva-t-il?
Nous étions venus comme de l'eau, nous sommes partis comme le vent.
Heron-Allen 1898 - 121
For a while, when young, we frequented a teacher,
for a while we were contented with our proficiency;
behold the foundation of the discourse:—what happened to us?
we came in like water and we depart like wind.
De Marthold 1910 - 121
Jeunes, ayant appris sous un maître savant,
Nous crûmes quelques jours en savoir plus qu'avant;
Que nous arriva-t-il? Vois bien le fond des choses:
Venus comme de l'eau, partis comme le vent!
Si je découvrais rien de plus haut que l'ivresse!
Payne 1898 - 584
To-day that no dolour from Fate malign drink we,
Together once more of the juice of the vine drink we;
For the Angel of Doom, in the hour of our passing hence,
Will grant us no quarter whilst somewhat of wine drink we.
Von der Porten 1927 - 121
Wir liebten's, jung noch, einem Meister zuzuhören,
Der schnelle Fortschritt mußte unsem Sinn betören,
Dies war die Rede, die noch heut' der Deutung harrt:
Ihr kamt in Wassers Flut und geht mit Windes-Chören.
Roe 1906 - 37
And oft, when young, from teachers I designed
To fill with wisdom's lore my youthful mind;
But lo, the end of all their lofty themes: -
We came like water and depart like wind.
Schack (Von) 1878 - 183
Mühsam und emsig hab' ich der Weisheit Korn gesäht
Und es mit eigenen Händen gepflegt; allein, mein Kind,
Nur eins ist klar mir worden, als ich die Saat gemäht:
Ich kam so wie das Wasser, und gehe wie der Wind.
Talbot 1908 - 121
A teacher once we sought, when young, to find
Wisdom that for a while contents the mind;
And from the whole discourse what did we learn? -
We come like water and depart like wind.
Thompson 1906 - 396
Awhile the master's side we did frequent,
Awhile then with our progress were content,
Hear the discourse's end, what came to us,
From dust we came and on the wind we went!
Tirtha 1941 - VII.155
As lads, we read our books by night and day,
As teachers then feruled the lads at play;
Thus ends the tale of our scholastic life:–
We came from dust, in gale we past away.
Whinfield 1883 - 353
I studied with the masters long ago,
And long ago did master all they know;
Here now the end and issue of it all,
From earth I came, and like the wind I go!
- DASHTI 1969 - 27
- FURUGHI 1942 - 134
- GRAVES 1968 - 28
- HEDAYAT 1934 - 37
- HERON-ALLEN 1899 - 27a
- HERON-ALLEN 1899 - 28a
- KASRA 1975 - 134
- SAIDI 1991 - 134
- WHINFIELD 1882 - 185