I built my wealthy home; it is a real feat,
All made of solid wood; no marble slab, no tiling,
My flowers, fountain, and vineyard seemed beguiling
To noble visitors, those of the royal suite.
To fill my rooms with sun and air, as I like
Three heavy walls were taken down by my order,
And I chose wisely for the open entrance border
Three stately palm trees — tall and straight as spikes.
High ranks have income of a special sort;
We dignitaries are eternal and immortal!
(Send for the foreman now! The mausoleum portal
Must soon be done; I need his full report.)
My servant works the grist to grind the mealy grain,
The usual tithes of flax and wheat have been collected;
The registers of goods are properly inspected:
From duties to the priests I never will refrain
My loyal dog is at my feet, stretched on the floor,
His head between the lion paws of my grand chair.
The pleasant smell of roasted goose makes me aware
Of earned eternity ,which I am destined for.
Я выстроил себе благополучья дом,
Он весь из дерева, и ни куска гранита,
И царская его осматривала свита,
В нем виноградники, цветник и водоем.
Чтоб воздух проникал в удобное жилье,
Я вынул три стены в преддверьи легкой клети,
И безошибочно я выбрал пальмы эти
Краеугольными — прямые, как копье.
Кто может описать чиновника доход!
Бессмертны высокопоставленные лица!
(Где управляющий? Готова ли гробница?)
В хозяйстве письменный я слушаю отчет.
Тяжелым жерновом мучнистое зерно
Приказано смолоть служанке низкорослой,
Священникам налог исправно будет послан,
Составлен протокол на хлеб и полотно.
В столовой на полу пес, растянувшись, лег,
И кресло прочное стоит на львиных лапах.
Я жареных гусей вдыхаю сладкий запах —
Загробных радостей вещественный залог.
«Either I remained with you, / Or you came with me, my angel! / But our fears did not come true, / We avoided separation. / It’s not your sigh of deep despair, / Or your complex accusations, / But your clear and peaceful stare / That fills my soul with trepidation.»
«In my room, there is a serpent, / Slow and gorgeous to behold… / She is calm and introverted / Much like I, and just as cold. As I’m writing in the evening, / She is sitting by my side, / Her indifferent eyes won’t leave me, / Shining emerald in the night. In the dark, I sob and ...»
«There’s hardly any body left, / The tortured lips have all but withered! / I didn’t want this kind of death, / The time-frame that I chose was different. / I had an image: two big clouds / Collide together, fast and free, / And lightning’s fire plummets down, / And mighty ecstasy...»
«The earthly glory is like smoke, / I wanted much more than this. / In all my lovers I evoked / The feelings of joy and bliss. / One is still in love somewhere / With a friend from long ago, / The other stands in the city square, — / A statue of bronze in the snow.»