The last great romantic European poet, Mihai Eminescu is one of the Gods of Romanian culture. This poem is but a small part of his vast work, meant to share some light and strip away some of the darkness that Time brought over our old history... I hope the voice of the Great White Wolf, our ancestors' symbol and protector in times of great trouble, will be heard by all those who choose to ignore their roots in the Land and the Sea of this Country.
A Dacian's Prayer
by Mihai Eminescu
(1879, Translated by Corneliu M. Popescu)
When death did not exist, nor yet eternity,
Before the seed of life had first set living free,
When yesterday was nothing, and time had not begun,
And one included all things, and all was less than one,
When sun and moon and sky, the stars, the spinning earth
Were still part of the things that had not come to birth,
And You quite lonely stood... I ask myself with awe,
Who is this mighty God we bow ourselves before.
Ere yet the Gods existed already He was God
And out of endless water with fire the lightning shed;
He gave the Gods their reson, and joy to earth did bring,
He brought to man forgiveness, and set salvation's spring
Lift up your hearts in worship, a song of praise enfreeing,
He is the death of dying, the primal birth of being.
To him I owe my eyes that I can see the dawn,
To him I owe my heart wherein is pity born;
Whene'er I hear the tempest, I hear him pass along
Midst multitude of voices raised in a holy song;
And yet of his great mercy I beg still one behest:
That I at last be taken to his eternal rest.
Be curses on the fellow who would my praise acclaim,
But blessings upon him who does my soul defame;
Believe no matter whom who slanders my renown,
Give power to the arm that lifts to strike me down;
Let him upon the earth above all others loom
Who steals away the stone that lies upon my tomb.
Hunted by humanity, let me my whole life fly
Until I feel from weeping my very eyes are dry;
Let everyone detest me no matter where I go,
Until from persecution myself I do not know;
Let misery and horror my heart transform to stone,
That I may hate my mother, in whose love I have grown;
Till hating and deceiving for me with love will vie,
And I forget my suffering, and learn at last to die.
Dishonoured let me perish, an outcast among men;
My body less than worthy to block the gutter then,
And may, o God of mercy, a crown of diamonds wear
The one who gives my heart the hungry dogs to tear,
While for the one who in my face does callous fling a clod
In your eternal kingdom reserve a place, o God.
Thus only, gracious Father, can I requitance give
That you from your great bounty vouched me the joy to live;
To gain eternal blessings my head I do not bow,
But rather ask that you in hating compassion show.
Till comes at last the evening, your breath will mine efface,
And into endless nothing I go, and leave no trace.
by Mihai Eminescu
(1879, Translated by Corneliu M. Popescu)
When death did not exist, nor yet eternity,
Before the seed of life had first set living free,
When yesterday was nothing, and time had not begun,
And one included all things, and all was less than one,
When sun and moon and sky, the stars, the spinning earth
Were still part of the things that had not come to birth,
And You quite lonely stood... I ask myself with awe,
Who is this mighty God we bow ourselves before.
Ere yet the Gods existed already He was God
And out of endless water with fire the lightning shed;
He gave the Gods their reson, and joy to earth did bring,
He brought to man forgiveness, and set salvation's spring
Lift up your hearts in worship, a song of praise enfreeing,
He is the death of dying, the primal birth of being.
To him I owe my eyes that I can see the dawn,
To him I owe my heart wherein is pity born;
Whene'er I hear the tempest, I hear him pass along
Midst multitude of voices raised in a holy song;
And yet of his great mercy I beg still one behest:
That I at last be taken to his eternal rest.
Be curses on the fellow who would my praise acclaim,
But blessings upon him who does my soul defame;
Believe no matter whom who slanders my renown,
Give power to the arm that lifts to strike me down;
Let him upon the earth above all others loom
Who steals away the stone that lies upon my tomb.
Hunted by humanity, let me my whole life fly
Until I feel from weeping my very eyes are dry;
Let everyone detest me no matter where I go,
Until from persecution myself I do not know;
Let misery and horror my heart transform to stone,
That I may hate my mother, in whose love I have grown;
Till hating and deceiving for me with love will vie,
And I forget my suffering, and learn at last to die.
Dishonoured let me perish, an outcast among men;
My body less than worthy to block the gutter then,
And may, o God of mercy, a crown of diamonds wear
The one who gives my heart the hungry dogs to tear,
While for the one who in my face does callous fling a clod
In your eternal kingdom reserve a place, o God.
Thus only, gracious Father, can I requitance give
That you from your great bounty vouched me the joy to live;
To gain eternal blessings my head I do not bow,
But rather ask that you in hating compassion show.
Till comes at last the evening, your breath will mine efface,
And into endless nothing I go, and leave no trace.
Rugaciunea unui Dac
de Mihai Eminescu
Pe când nu era moarte, nimic nemuritor,
Nici sâmburul luminii de viatã dãtãtor,
Nu era azi, nici mâine, nici ieri, nici totdeauna,
Cãci unul erau toate si totul era una;
Pe când pãmântul, cerul, vãzduhul, lumea toatã
Erau din rândul celor ce n-au fost niciodatã,
Pe-atunci erai Tu singur, îmcât mã-ntreb în sine-mi:
Au cine-i zeul cãrui plecãm a noastre inemi?
El singur zeu stãtut-au nainte de-a fi zeii
Si din noian de ape puteri au dat scânteii,
El zeilor dã suflet si lumii fericire,
El este-al omenimei izvor de mântuire:
Sus inimile voastre! Cântare aduceti-i,
El este moartea mortii si învierea vietii!
Si el îmi dete ochii sã vãd lumina zilei,
Si inima-mi împlut-au cu farmecele milei,
În vuietul de vânturi auzit-am al lui mers
Si-n glas purtat de cântec simtii duiosu-i viers,
Si tot pe lângã-acestea cersesc îmc-un adaos:
Sã-ngãduie intrarea-mi în vecinicul repaos!
Sã blesteme pe-oricine de mine-o avea milã,
Sã binecuvinteze pe cel ce mã împilã,
S-asculte orice gurã ce-ar vrea ca sã mã râdã,
Puteri sã puie-n bratul ce-ar sta sã mã ucidã,
S-acela între oameni devinã cel întâi
Ce mi-a rãpi chiar piatra ce-oi pune-o cãpãtâi.
Gonit de toatã lumea prin anii mei sã trec,
Pân’ ce-oi simti cã ochiu-mi de lacrime e sec,
Cã-n orice om din lume un dusman mi se naste,
C-ajung pe mine însumi a nu mã mai cunoaste,
Cãci chinul si durerea simtirea-mi a-mpietrit-o,
Cã pot s-mi blestem mama, pe care am iubit-o –
Când ura cea mai crudã mi s-ar pãrea amor...
Poate-oi uita durerea si voi putea sã mor.
Strãin si fãr’ de lege de voi muri – atunce
Nevrednicu-mi cadavru în ulitã l-arunce,
S-aceluia, Pãrinte, sã-i dai coroanã scumpã
Ce-o sã amute cânii, ca inima-mi s-o rumpã,
Iar celui ce cu pietre mã va izbi în fatã,
Îndurã-te, stãpâne, si dã-i pe veci viatã!
Astfel numai, Pãrinte, eu pot sã-ti multumesc,
Cã tu mi-ai dat în lume norocul sã trãiesc.
Sã cer a tale daruri, genunchi si frunte nu plec,
Spre urã si blestemuri as vrea sã te înduplec,
Sã simt cã de suflarea-ti suflarea mea se curmã
Si-n stingerea eternã dispar fãrã de urmã!
(1879, 1 septembrie)
de Mihai Eminescu
Pe când nu era moarte, nimic nemuritor,
Nici sâmburul luminii de viatã dãtãtor,
Nu era azi, nici mâine, nici ieri, nici totdeauna,
Cãci unul erau toate si totul era una;
Pe când pãmântul, cerul, vãzduhul, lumea toatã
Erau din rândul celor ce n-au fost niciodatã,
Pe-atunci erai Tu singur, îmcât mã-ntreb în sine-mi:
Au cine-i zeul cãrui plecãm a noastre inemi?
El singur zeu stãtut-au nainte de-a fi zeii
Si din noian de ape puteri au dat scânteii,
El zeilor dã suflet si lumii fericire,
El este-al omenimei izvor de mântuire:
Sus inimile voastre! Cântare aduceti-i,
El este moartea mortii si învierea vietii!
Si el îmi dete ochii sã vãd lumina zilei,
Si inima-mi împlut-au cu farmecele milei,
În vuietul de vânturi auzit-am al lui mers
Si-n glas purtat de cântec simtii duiosu-i viers,
Si tot pe lângã-acestea cersesc îmc-un adaos:
Sã-ngãduie intrarea-mi în vecinicul repaos!
Sã blesteme pe-oricine de mine-o avea milã,
Sã binecuvinteze pe cel ce mã împilã,
S-asculte orice gurã ce-ar vrea ca sã mã râdã,
Puteri sã puie-n bratul ce-ar sta sã mã ucidã,
S-acela între oameni devinã cel întâi
Ce mi-a rãpi chiar piatra ce-oi pune-o cãpãtâi.
Gonit de toatã lumea prin anii mei sã trec,
Pân’ ce-oi simti cã ochiu-mi de lacrime e sec,
Cã-n orice om din lume un dusman mi se naste,
C-ajung pe mine însumi a nu mã mai cunoaste,
Cãci chinul si durerea simtirea-mi a-mpietrit-o,
Cã pot s-mi blestem mama, pe care am iubit-o –
Când ura cea mai crudã mi s-ar pãrea amor...
Poate-oi uita durerea si voi putea sã mor.
Strãin si fãr’ de lege de voi muri – atunce
Nevrednicu-mi cadavru în ulitã l-arunce,
S-aceluia, Pãrinte, sã-i dai coroanã scumpã
Ce-o sã amute cânii, ca inima-mi s-o rumpã,
Iar celui ce cu pietre mã va izbi în fatã,
Îndurã-te, stãpâne, si dã-i pe veci viatã!
Astfel numai, Pãrinte, eu pot sã-ti multumesc,
Cã tu mi-ai dat în lume norocul sã trãiesc.
Sã cer a tale daruri, genunchi si frunte nu plec,
Spre urã si blestemuri as vrea sã te înduplec,
Sã simt cã de suflarea-ti suflarea mea se curmã
Si-n stingerea eternã dispar fãrã de urmã!
(1879, 1 septembrie)
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