Bodleian quatrain nr. 26
Bodenstedt 1881 - IX.62
Hab' Acht! Deine Seele wird Dir entschweben
Und der Schleier der Ewigkeit sich vor Dir heben.
Trink Wein, denn Du weißt nicht und kannst nicht verstehn,
Woher Du gekommen, wohin Du wirst gehn.
Cadell 1899 - 26
Thou shalt be parted from thy soul, and then,
Enter God's veil of mystery again;
Be glad! For whence you came you do not know;
Drink! For you wist as little where you go.
Christensen 1927 - 15
If one as Houri fair by marge of lea,
In Springtime sweet a brimming cup give me,
Though men this speech deem bad, if then I call
On Heaven, than I a dog would better be!
Garner 1898 - 148
Ah, brother, but a little while and thou shalt find
Eternal rest, the secret veil behind;
Rejoice thy heart and banish grief, for know -
Thy source, thy goal, has never been divined.
Grolleau 1902 - 26
Sache ceci: que de ton âme tu seras séparé,
Tu passeras derrière le rideau des secrets de Dieu.
Sois heureux... tu ne sais pas d'où tu es venu;
Bois du vin... tu ne sais où tu iras.
Heron-Allen 1898 - 26
Know this—that from thy soul thou shalt be separated,
thou shalt pass behind the curtain of the secrets of God.
Be happy—thou knowest not whence thou hast come:
drink wine—thou knowest not whither thou shalt go.
De Marthold 1910 - 26
Ton âme passera, te quittant sans adieu,
Derrière le rideau des grands secrets de Dieu,
Sois heureux, réjouis-toi... D'où tu viens, tu l'ignores,
Bois du vin... Tu t'en vas tu ne sais en quel lieu.
McCarthy 1889 - 180
BE ON YOUR GUARD, MY FRIEND,
FOR YOU WILL BE SUNDERED FROM
YOUR SOUL, YOU WILL PASS BEHIND
THE CURTAIN OF THE SECRETS OF
HEAVEN. DRINK WINE, FOR YOU KNOW
NOT WHENCE YOU COME. BE MERRY,
FOR YOU KNOW NOT WHERE YOU GO.
Nicolas 1867 - 85
Sois sur tes gardes, ami, car tu seras séparé de ton âme: tu iras derrière le rideau des secrets de Dieu. Bois du vin, car tu ne sais pas d'où tu es venu; sois dans l'allegresse, car tu ne sais pas où tu iras.
Payne 1898 - 188
Bethink thee that soulless and bare thou shalt go;
The veil of God's mysteries to tear thou shalt go:
Drink wine, for thou knowest not whence thou hast come;
Live blithe, for thou knowest not where thou shalt go.
Von der Porten 1927 - 26
Die Seele - wisse - muß sich einst vom Körper trennen,
Dann wirst du hinter Seinem Schleier Gott erkennen,
Trink Wein, denn du weißt nicht, woher du bist gekommen,
Und auch das Ziel, wohin du gehst, kannst du nicht nennen.
Roe 1906 - 35
Soon shall you bid farewell to mortal tie;
Soon shall you read life's deepest mystery.
Drink, for you know not when you go, nor where;
Drink, for you know not whence you came, nor why.
Von Schack 1878 - 207
Einst am Ende wird vom Leibe dir der Tod die Seele trennen,
Das Geheimnis hinter Gottes Vorhang wirst du dann erkennen;
Doch bis dahin zeche tapfer, wie viel du immer spähst,
Nicht ergründest du, woher du kommst, und nicht, wohin du gehst.
Talbot 1908 - 26
Know this, that soon thou diest, and thy soul
The Book of God's Great Secret must unroll;
Be happy! knowing not whence thou hast come,
Nor whither thou shalt go. Drink out the Bowl!
Thompson 1906 - 136
Since from your soul you separate, then know
Behind God's secret veil you will go, too ;
Drink wine! for you know not whence you have come;
Be jocund ! for you know not where you go!
Tirtha 1941 - IX.99
Ye go from soul asunder this ye know,
And that ye creep, behind His curtain low;
Hence sing His Name, ye know not whence ye came,
And live sedate, ye know not where to go.
Whinfield 1883 - 87
Make haste! soon must you quit this life below,
And pass the veil, and Allah's secrets know;
Make haste to take your pleasure while you may,
You wot not whence you come, nor whither go.
- FURUGHI 1942 - 36
- HERON-ALLEN 1899 - 47a
- HERON-ALLEN 1899 - 74b
- KASRA 1975 - 36
- MAHFUZ 1939 - 66
- SAIDI 1991 - 85