Песни Невинности и Опыта

Is this a holy thing to see,
In a rich and fruitful land,
Babes redued to misery,
Fed with cold and usurous hand?

Is that trembling cry a song?

Can it be a song of joy?
And so many children poor?
It is a land of poverty!

And their sun does never shine.

And their fields are bleak & bare,
And their ways are fili'd with thorns
It is eternal winter there.

For where-e'er the sun does shine,

And where-e'er the rain does fall:
Babe can never hunger there,
Nor poverty the mind appall.

Святой Четверг

Благое ль дело на земле
Богатой, плодородной
Смотреть, как детям подает
Богач с душой холодной?

Не славу взносит этот хор

Не с радости поющих —
Здесь тыщи маленьких сирот!
Здесь Царство Вопиющих!

Здесь солнца луч не светит им,

Здесь их терзает голод,
Здесь тропы терниев полны
И вечен лютый холод.

А где земля под солнышком

И дождиком полита,
Дитя не может голодать
И Нищета забыта!

The Little Girl Lost

In futurity
I prophetic see,
That the earth from sleep,
(Grave the sentence deep)

Shall arise and seek

For her maker meek:
And the desart wild
Become a garden mild.

* * *

In the southern clime,
Where the summers prime,
Never fades away;
Lovely Lyca lay.

Seven summers old

Lovely Lyca told,
She had wanderd long,
Hearing wild birds song.

Sweet sleep come to me

Underneath this tree;
Do father, mother weep, —
«Where can Lyca sleep».

Lost in desart wild

Is your little child.
How can Lyca sleep,
If her mother weep.

If her heart does ake,

Then let Lyca wake;
If my mother sleep,
Lyca shall not weep.

Frowning frowning night,

O'er this desart bright,
Let thy moon arise,
While I close my eyes.

Sleeping Lyca lay;

While the beasts of prey,
Gome from caverns deep,
View'd the maid asleep

The kingly lion stood

And the virgin view'd,
Then he gambold round
O'er the hallowd ground:

Leopards, tygers play,

Round her as she lay;
While the lion old,
Bow'd his mane of gold,

And her bosom lick,

And upon her neck,
From his eyes of flame,
Ruby tears there came;

While the lioness

Loos'd her slender dress,
And naked they convey'd
To caves the sleeping maid.

Заблудившаяся дочь

Чтоб не забывали,
Выбей на скрижали:
«Придут времена
Сбросить путы сна —

И Земля очнется

И к Творцу вернется,
И пустыня канет —
Чудным садом станет!»

* * *