Bodleian quatrain nr. 42
Cadell 1899 - 33
He who has sown by love joy in his soul
Has not spent fruitlessly life's brightest days;
For either he has tried to tread God's ways,
Or sought his own peace in the lifted bowl.
Christensen 1927 - 63
Whosoever has got imprinted on his heart one character
of the script of reason has not lost one moment of his life.
whether he strives lo live after the pleasing of God, or
he chooses his own comfort and raises the wine-cup.
Grolleau 1902 - 42
Quiconque arrose dans son coeur la plante de l'Amour
N'a pas un seul jour de sa vie qui soit inutile,
Soit qu'il cherche à aller au-devant de la volonté de Dieu,
Soit qu'il cherche le bien-être corporel et lève a coupe.
Heron-Allen 1898 - 42
Whosoever has engrafted the leaf of love upon his heart,
not one day of his life has been wasted;
either he strives to meet with God's approbation,
or he chooses bodily comfort and raises the wine-cup.
De Marthold 1910 - 42
Qui t'arrose en son coeur, amour, plante subtile,
N'a dans toute sa vie un seul jour inutile,
Soit qu'il aille au devant des volontés de Dieu,
Soit qu'il cherche en la tasse un bien-être facile.
Nicolas 1867 - 98
Celui qui a eu l'intelligence de semer la joie dans son cœur, ce lui-lé n'a pas perdu un seul de ses jours dans le chagrin; ou il a employé ses facultés à rechercher l'agrément de Dieu, ou il est procuré le repos de son âme en prenant dans sa main une coupe de vin.
Von der Porten 1927 - 42
Wem Liebe stets die Lebensblätter wendet,
Der hat nicht einen einz'gen Tag verschwendet:
Entweder suchst du Gottes Beifall oder
Den Weinkrug, der dir Wohlbehagen spendet.
Rosen 1928 - 74
Everyone upon whose heart has been inscribed the writing of reason
Will not let one moment of life be lost.
Either he will strive to acquire God's approval
Or he will choose his own pleasure and grasp the goblet.
Talbot 1908 - 42
If in thy heart the seed of Love is plac'd,
No day of all thy life can run to waste;
Whether for God's approval thou dost strive,
Or on the joys of Earth hast set thy taste.
Thompson 1906 - 147
No single day lost from his life hath flown,
Within whose heart the seed of cheer is sown;
Whether he seeks obedience to God's will,
Or cup in hand in ease doth choose his own.
Tirtha 1941 - VII.8
The man who has in him a grain of wit,
With folded hands is never wont to sit;
He either plies to gain the grace of God,
Or keeps his heart in bliss, and thus is quit.
Whinfield 1883 - 99
He, in whose bosom wisdom's seed is sown,
To waste a single day was never known;
Either he strives to work great Allah's will,
Or else exalts the cup, and works his own.
- ARBERRY 1952 - 75