Bodleian quatrain nr. 64
Anet 1957 - 121
Que j'aie toujours à la main la coupe,
au coeur l'amour des adolescents!
On me dit: "Que Dieu t'accorde le repentir!"
Mais ni Dieu ne me l'offre, ni je ne le désire.
Cadell 1899 - 59
May to my hand the brimming cup ne'er fail,
And may some beauty always love me true;
They say God showers on me repentance' dew;
He does not, if He did, 'twould not avail.
Christensen 1927 - 1
In my head may there be desire for the houri-like
idols. In my hand may there be the grape-juice through out the year.
People say to me: "May God give thee repentance!"
He will not give it. I will not practise it. May it be far from me!
Grolleau 1902 - 64
Que mon âme soit hantée par le désir d'idoles pareilles aux houris,
Que ma main, toute l'année, tienne la coupe pleine!
On me dit: "Que Dieu te donne le repentir!"
Il ne me le donnera pas, je n'en veux pas, n'en parlons plus.
Heron-Allen 1898 - 64
In my mind may there be desire for idols houri-like,
in my hand may there be, all the year round, the juice of the grape;
they say to me, "May God give thee repentance!"
He himself will not give it; I will none of it; let it be far off!
De Marthold 1910 - 64
Que mon âme souhaite idoles, houris, reines,
Que ma main tous les jours tienne des tasses pleines!
On me dit: "Dieu te donne enfin le repentir!"
Je n'en veux pas! Or donc, plus de paroles vaines.
Nicolas 1867 - 151
Puissé-je avoir constamment dans ma main du jus de la vigne! Puisse mon amour pour ces belles idoles, semblables aux houris, ne jamais tarir dans mon cœur!
On me dit: Dieu t'ordonnera d'y re-noncer; oh! me donnât-il un ordre pareil, je n'obéirais pas. Loin de moi cette pensée!
Von der Porten 1927 - 64
Ich habe stets die hurigleichen Schönen geme,
Ach, säß ich stets bei Traubensaft in der Taberne!
Sie sagen: "Möge Allah Einkehr dir gewahren."
Er tut es nicht, ich will's auch nicht; bleib sie mir ferne.
Rosen 1928 - 119
Let beauties, like houris , be foremost in my mind;
May the juice of the grape be always in my hand.
They say to me: "May God give you repentance!"
As He Himself will not give it unto me, I will not repent, far be it from me!
Talbot 1908 - 64
My soul to Love for ever I commit:
My body from the Grape shall never flit;
They say,"May God repentance give thee soon;"
He gives it not, so I will none of it.
Thompson 1906 - 222
The juice of grapes may my hand ever bear
And my heart ever long for Houri fair:
They say "God give thee penitence!" He 'll not.
Far be 't from me! Repentance I forswear!
Tirtha 1941 - X.91
They say "In hell will all the drunkards land"
Absurd! This cant will not to reason stand;
If love and drink would bring a man to hell,
Then heaven is vacant like an empty hand.
Whinfield 1883 - 172
Forever may my hands on wine be stayed,
And my heart pant for some fair Houri maid!
They say, "May Allah aid thee to repent!"
Repent I could not, e'en with Allah's aid!
- ARBERRY 1949 - 36
- ARBERRY 1952 - 65