Томас Трэхерн (Thomas Traherne)

The Salutation

These little limbs,
These eyes and hands which here I find,
These rosy cheeks wherewith my life begins,
Where have ye been? behind
What curtain were ye from me hid so long?
Where was, in what abyss, my speaking tongue?

When silent I
So many thousand, thousand years
Beneath the dust did in a chaos lie,
How could I smiles or tears,
Or lips or hands or eyes or ears perceive?
Welcome ye treasures which I now receive.

I that so long
Was nothing from eternity,
Did little think such joys as ear or tongue
To celebrate or see:
Such sounds to hear, such hands to feel, such feet,
Beneath the skies on such a ground to meet.

New burnished joys,
Which yellow gold and pearls excel!
Such sacred treasures are the limbs in boys,
In which a soul doth dwell;
Their organized joints and azure veins
More wealth include than all the world contains.

From dust I rise,
And out of nothing now awake;
These brighter regions which salute mine eyes,
A gift from God I take.
The earth, the seas, the light, the day, the skies,
The sun and stars are mine if those I prize.

Long time before
I in my mother's womb was born,
A God, preparing, did this glorious store,
The world, for me adorn.
Into this Eden so divine and fair,
So wide and bright, I come His son and heir.

A stranger here
Strange things doth meet, strange glories see;
Strange treasures lodged in this fair world appear,
Strange all and new to me;
But that they mine should be, who nothing was,
That strangest is of all, ye brought to pass. 

* * * * *

1

These little Limmes,
These Eys and Hands which here I find,
These rosie Cheeks wherwith my Life begins,
Where have ye been? Behind
What Curtain were ye from me hid so long!
Where was? in what Abyss, my Speaking Tongue?

2

When silent I,
So many thousand thousand yeers,
Beneath the Dust did in a Chaos lie,
How could I Smiles or Tears,
Or Lips or Hands or Eys or Ears perceiv?
Welcom ye Treasures which I now receiv.

3

I that so long
Was Nothing from Eternitie,
Did little think such Joys as Ear or Tongue,
To Celebrat or See:
Such Sounds to hear, such Hands to feel, such Feet,
Beneath the Skies, on such a Ground to meet.

4

New Burnisht Joys!
Which yellow Gold and Pearl excell!
Such Sacred Treasures are the Lims in Boys,
In which a Soul doth Dwell;
Their Organized Joynts, and Azure Veins
More Wealth include, then all the World contains.

5

From Dust I rise,
And out of Nothing now awake,
These Brighter Regions which salute mine Eys,
A Gift from GOD I take.
The Earth, the Seas, the Light, the Day, the Skies,
The Sun and Stars are mine; if those I prize.

6

Long time before
I in my Mother's Womb was born,
A GOD preparing did this Glorious Store,
The World for me adorne.
Into this Eden so Divine and fair,
So Wide and Bright, I com his Son and Heir.

7

A Stranger here
Strange Things doth meet, Strange Glories See;
Strange Treasures lodg'd in this fair World appear,
Strange all, and New to me.
But that they mine should be, who nothing was,
That Strangest is of all, yet brought to pass.

Приветствие

1

Сей дивный дар,
Сии движенья глаз и рук,
Сих нежных щёк новорождённый жар – 
Отколь явились вдруг?
Из-под какого тайного покрова?
Из бездн каких во мне возникло слово?

2

Когда в тиши,
Под прахом, много тысяч лет,
Я нем лежал, без формы, без души,
Как мог узреть я свет,
Улыбки, слёзы, губы, руки, взгляды?
О мир сокровищ! сколько в них отрады!

3

Безмолвен, глух,
Я был ничем средь вечной мглы,
Не знал, что обрету язык и слух
Для радостной хвалы;
Как чутко ухо, как рука проворна,
Как твердь земли моим ногам покорна!

4

О торжество!
Пресветлых радостей родник!
Как чудно детских членов естество – 
Души святой тайник!
Их резвый строй и гладкость нежной кожи
Всех благ мирских воистину дороже.

5

Из праха взят,
Я пробуждаюсь к бытию;
Края щедрот приветствует мой взгляд,
Дар Божий жадно пью.
Земля, моря, небес священный лад,
Созвездья, солнце – мой бесценный клад.

6

Допрежь того,
Как был я матерью рождён,
Мне древле Бог готовил торжество:
Сей мир украсил Он,
Дабы Эдема чистоту и славу
Я, сын Его, наследовал по праву.

7

Как странно здесь!
Мне странен этот новый дом,
Мне странен мир, сокровищ полон днесь,
Мне странно всё кругом;
Но обладанье лучшим из миров – 
Страннейший средь Божественных даров.

Перевод Олега Комкова
Авторский сайт Олега Комкова

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