Nr. 79
Calcutta nr. 79 *
I fell asleep, (and) wisdom said to me:—
“Never from sleep has the rose of happiness blossomed for anyone.
Why do a thing that is the mate of death ?
Drink wine for thou must sleep beneath the earth.
Ouseley MS 140 - 27
I fell asleep, and wisdom said to me: —
"Never from sleep has the rose of happiness blossomed for anyone;
why do a thing that is the mate of death?
Drink wine, for thou must sleep for ages."
Christensen 1927 - 59
I dropped asleep. A wise man said to me: "From sleep
the rose of pleasure did never bloom for anyone.
Why do you meddle with that which is of a piece
with death ? Drink wine for we must sleep during many a lifetime."
Nicolas 1867 - 148
Ton empire a-t-il gagné en splendeur par mon obéissance (ô Dieu!), et mes péchés ont-ils retranché quelque chose de ton immensité? Pardonne, Dieu, ne punis pas, car, je le sais, tu punis tard et tu pardonnes tôt.
Payne 1898 - 196
In a dream of the night quoth a sage me unto:
"Rose of gladness for mortal from sleep never blew;
A thing, then, to dealh that akin is why do?
Up, for under the earth thou shalt slumber thy due!
Thompson 1906 - 93
I dreamt that Wisdom came to me and said,
''In sleep for none joy's roses petals spread,
In life why dost thou mimic death? Arise!
For sleep thou must when 'neath earth is thy bed."
Whinfield 1883 - 51
I dreamt a sage said, "Wherefore life consume
In sleep? Can sleep make pleasure's roses bloom?
Forgather not with death's twin-brother sleep,
Thou wilt have sleep enough within thy tomb!"