Καβάφης
ΤείχηоригиналΧωρίς περίσκεψιν, χωρίς λύπην, χωρίς αιδώ
μεγάλα κ' υψηλά τριγύρω μου έκτισαν τείχη.
Και κάθομαι και απελπίζομαι τώρα εδώ.
Αλλο δεν σκέπτομαι: τον νουν μου τρώγει αυτή η τύχη·
διότι πράγματα πολλά έξω να κάμω είχον.
Α όταν έκτιζαν τα τείχη πώς να μην προσέξω.
Αλλά δεν άκουσα ποτέ κρότον κτιστών ή ήχον.
Ανεπαισθήτως μ' έκλεισαν από τον κόσμον έξω.
(1896)
(Από τα Ποιήματα 1897-1933, Ίκαρος 1984) Кавафис
СтеныБезжалостно, безучастно, без совести и стыда
воздвигли вокруг меня глухонемые стены.
Я замурован в них. Как я попал сюда?
Разуму в толк не взять случившейся перемены.
Я мог еще сделать многое: кровь еще горяча.
Но я проморгал строительство. Видимо, мне затмило,
и я не заметил кладки, растущего кирпича.
Исподволь, но бесповоротно я отлучен от мира.
пер. Г.Шмакова под редакцией И.Бродского
Cavafy
WallsTransl. by Edmund Keeley/Philip SherrardWith no consideration, no pity, no shame,
they have built walls around me, thick and high.
And now I sit here feeling hopeless.
I can’t think of anything else: this fate gnaws my mind—
because I had so much to do outside.
When they were building the walls, how could I not have noticed!
But I never heard the builders, not a sound.
Imperceptibly they have closed me off from the outside world.
Transl. by Edmund Keeley/Philip SherrardCavafy
WallsTransl. by John CavafyWithout reflection, without mercy, without shame,
they built strong walls and high, and compassed me about.
And now I sit here and consider and despair.
My brain is worn with meditating on my fate:
I had outside so many things to terminate.
Oh! why when they were building did I not beware!
But never a sound of building, never an echo came.
Out of the world, insensibly, they shut me out.
Transl. by John Cavafy
(Poems by C. P. Cavafy. Translated, from the Greek, by J. C. Cavafy. Ikaros, 2003) Constantine P. Cavafy
Wallstransl. by George BarbanisWithout consideration, without pity, without shame
they have built great and high walls around me.
And now I sit here and despair.
I think of nothing else: this fate gnaws at my mind;
for I had many things to do outside.
Ah why did I not pay attention when they were building the walls.
But I never heard any noise or sound of builders.
Imperceptibly they shut me from the outside world.
(1896)
(C) George Barbanis