Bodleian quatrain nr. 157
Christensen 1927 - 34
If my coming had depended on me, I had not come, and
if, again, my going had depended on me, why should I go?
Were it not better, if in this growth and decay I had
not come, nor gone, nor been?
Cowell 1858 - 30
If coming had been in my power, I would not have come,
If going had been in my power, I would not go;
Oh best of all lots, if in this world of clay
I had come not, nor gone, nor been at all!
Grolleau 1902 - 157
Si j'avais été libre de venir, je ne serais pas venu.
Si je pouvais contrôler mes pas, où donc irais-je?
Ne vaudrait-il pas mieux qu'en ce monde de poussière
Je n'aie pas eu à venir, à en partir... y vivre!
Heron-Allen 1898 - 157
Had I charge of the matter I would not have come,
and likewise could I control my going, where should I go?
were it not better than that, that in this world
I had neither come, nor gone, nor lived?
De Marthold 1910 - 157
Libre, j'aurais dit Non et refermé le livre.
Si je pouvais guider mes pas, quel chemin suivre?
Ne vaudrait-il pas mieux que, n'étant pas venu.
Je ne doive quitter ce monde... hélas! y vivre!
McCarthy 1889 - 317
IF I WERE FREE TO USE MY WILL,
IF I WERE FREE FROM CARES OF GOOD
AND EVIL IN THIS WORTHLESS WORLD,
HOW WILLINGLY WOULD I CHOOSE
NEVER TO HAVE COME HERE, NEVER
TO HAVE LIVED HERE, NEVER TO DE-
PART HENCE.
Payne 1898 - 785
If coming rested with me, come had I? No, forsooth.
Were going hence at my will, how should I go, forsooth?
Were it not best of all that into this ruinous world
Come had I neither gone nor been evermo', forsooth?
Von der Porten 1927 - 157
Ich wär' nicht hier, könnt' ich das Schicksal weben,
Und ging' jetzt nicht, könnt' ich ihm widerstreben,
Ja besser war's, in dieser Welt des Staubes
Nicht kommen und nicht gehen und nicht leben.
Roe 1906 - 38
Unwilling, helpless, hurried through life's door,
And, helpless, whither, when the dream is o'er?
Ah, better far to Earth I ne'er had come
Than come, live, go, and taste of life no more!
Rosen 1928 - 318
If my coming into this world had depended upon me, I should not have come,
And had my leaving depended on me, how could I have left it?
It would have been better if into this world of strife
I had never come, nor lived in it, nor gone from it.
Von Schack 1878 - 33
O wär' es nach meinem Willen geschehn
Und dem Geschicke die Macht genommen,
Nie wär' ich auf diese Erde gekommen,
Noch braucht' ich wieder hinwegzugehn.
Talbot 1908 - 157
Had I the power, I ne'er had borne Life's thrall,
Nor willingly would lie beneath the Pall
Far better, were it not? if in this world
I ne'er had come, or gone, or liv'd at all.
Thompson 1906 - 597
I 'd ne'er have come, could I have had my say,
If mine were going, when should I go, pray?
Were it not better in this world of dust.
Neither to come, nor be, nor go away?
Tirtha 1941 - II.25
Had I but choice, I had not come at call,
Had I a voice why would I go at all?
I would have lived in peace and never cared
To enter, stay, or quit this filthy stall.
Whinfield 1883 - 490
I never would have come, had I been asked,
I would as lief not go, if I were asked,
And, to be short, I would annihilate
All coming, being, going, were I asked!
- FURUGHI 1942 - 174
- GRAVES 1968 - 33
- HEDAYAT 1934 - 17
- HERON-ALLEN 1899 - 30b
- KASRA 1975 - 174
- SAIDI 1991 - 125
- WHINFIELD 1882 - 220