Lute, companion of my calamity,

Irreproachable witness of my sighs,

True examiner of my afflictions,

Thou hast often lamented with me;

And so much has my pitiful weeping wearied thee

That, beginning some delightful sound,

Thou madest it all at once lamentable,

Feigning the tone thou hadst sung full of joy.

And if thou wouldst strive to do the contrary,

Thou slackenest, and so constrainest me to be silent;

But seeing me tenderly sigh,

Granting favor to my so sad complaint,

In my sorrows I am forced to take pleasure,

And of a sweet woe sweet end to hope.

Gǎngǎnwîn, gbɛ̌ ce adǎnhwěnú tɔn,

Kúnnuɖetɔ́ e è ma ɖó blɔ ǎ é

Wɛ núwè ɖò azɔnwinwɛ ce lɛ mɛ,

Hwi mɛ e nɔ wlán aluwɛ ce lɛ́ɛ sín tan nǔgbó ɔ́,

A nɔ ya avǐ hwɛhwɛ ɖo akpá ce;

Bɔ avǐ ce e vɛ́ jlɛ́ é dó tagba nú we mɔ̌.

Enɛ ɔ, hwenu e è bɛ́ nǔ e nɔ víví nú mɛ é ɖé lɛ é ɔ,

A nǎ bló bɔ é ná nyí aluwɛ mɛ ajijimɛ,

Gbè e un ko jì é ɖesu vlɛ́.

Bɔ enyi a tɛ́n kpɔ́n bo wà nǔ e gbɔn vo nú enɛ é ɔ,

A nɔ j’ayǐ bo nɔ hɛn mì gannugánnú bɔ un nɔ cí abwɛ;

Amɔ̌, ee un mɔ bɔ un ɖò xó sú wɛ kpo xomɛfífá kpo é ɔ,

Bɔ é nyɔ́ xomɛ dó ɖɛ ce e dó aluwɛ mɛ é wú,

Un ɖó ná mɔ gbɔdónúmɛ ɖo wǔvɛ́ ce lɛ́ɛ mɛ;

Bɔ sín wuvɛ̌ vivi ɖé mɛ, bo

Na ɖó nukún ɖɔ vivɔnu vivi ɖé na wá.

Luth, compagnon de ma calamité,

De mes soupirs témoin irréprochable,

De mes ennuis contrôleur véritable,

Tu as souvent avec moi lamenté;

Et tant le pleur piteux t’a molesté

Que, commençant quelque son délectable,

Tu le rendais tout soudain lamentable,

Feignant le ton que plein avais chanté.

Et si tu veux efforcer au contraire,

Tu te détends et si me contrains taire:

Mais me voyant tendrement soupirer,

Donnant faveur à ma tant triste plainte,

En mes ennuis me plaire suis contrainte

Et d’un doux mal douce fin espérer.

Iwọ gita, alabaṣepọ ninu ibanujẹ mi,

Ẹlẹri imi ẹdun mi ti ko ni ibawi,

Oluyẹwo tootọ ti awọn ipọnju mi Nigba gbogbo ni Iwo ma n kerora pelu mi,

Ati pe Nigba pupọ ni ẹkun ikaaanu mi n mu ki rẹ Iwọ;

Tó bẹẹ̀ ni bẹẹrẹ, ọpọ ni inu didun si ohun mi,

Iwọ pẹlu idibọ mu ki gbogbo orin ti Iwọ n kọ pẹlu ẹkun rẹrẹ ayọ di orin ibanujẹ,

Ati bi Iwọ ba fẹ sakitiyan lai ṣe idakeji.

Ati bí o bá fẹ ka ni ìfẹ si idakeji,

Iwọ sọ mi di ọlẹ o si tun rọ mi lati dakẹ;

Ṣugbọn nígbà tí o rí mi ń sunkún pẹlẹ,

Yọnda oju rere fun fifi ibanujẹ mi saroye,

Nínú awọn ibanujẹ mi a fi ipa mumi lati gbadun,

Ati ninu egbe to ladun ni mo ti ni opin ireti to ladun.

When I behold your fair blond head, crowned

With green laurel, make a lute so sweetly lament

That you could compel, by following you,

Trees and rocks; when I see you adorned,

And encompassed by ten thousand virtues,

Raised in honor’s rank higher than any can attain,

And extinguishing the praises of the highest,

Then says my heart within, full of passion:

So many virtues that make you beloved,

That make you esteemed by everyone—

Could they not as well make you love in return?

And, adding to your praiseworthy virtue

This further grace, of having pity on me,

Might you not gently kindle with my love?

Nú un mɔ ta ɖagbeɖagbe towe, axɔsugbakún.

Kpodo ama amamú ɖé kpo, bo bló

Bɔ gǎngǎnwín ɖé ɖò aluwɛ mɛ ɖɛkpɛɖɛkpɛ mɔ̌.

Ðó a sixu hɛn mɛ gannugánnú.

Atín kpó só kpó ná xwedó we;

Hwenu e un mɔ bɔ a b’acɔ́ é ɔ́,

Bɔ, jijɔ ɖagbe afatɔ́n wǒ lɛlɛ̌ dó è,

Nú è na yɛ̌yi ɖaxó hugǎn e mɛɖebǔ ma mɔ ǎ é,

Bo na dó súnsún susu ɖaxó ɖaxó lɛ tɔn ɔ,

Hwenɛ́nu ɔ, ayi ce e ɖò jiji wɛ ɖò éɖée mɛ é ɖɔ:

Nǔ ɖagbe gěgé e nɔ zɔ́n bɔ è nɔ yí wǎn nú we,

Bó nɔ zɔ́n bɔ mɛ bǐ nɔ ɖó sísí nú we é,

Ye lɔ sixú bló bɔ è nɔ yí wǎn nú we à cé?

Bɔ, gɔ́ nú jijɔ ɖagbe towe e jɛxa susu é.

Nyikɔ élɔ́ lɔmɔ̌, é nyí nǔblawukúnúmɛ nú mì,

Un sixú hɛn wanyiyi ce dó jǐ we bléblé ǎ cé?

Quand j’aperçois ton blond chef, couronné

D’un laurier vert, faire un luth si bien plaindre

Que tu pourrais à te suivre contraindre

Arbres et rocs ; quand je te vois orné,

Et, de vertus dix mille environné,

Au chef d’honneur plus haut que nul atteindre,

Et des plus hauts les louanges éteindre,

Lors dit mon coeur en soi passionné:

Tant de vertus qui te font être aimé,

Qui de chacun te font être estimé,

Ne te pourraient aussi bien faire aimer?

Et, ajoutant à ta vertu louable

Ce nom encor de m’être pitoyable,

De mon amour doucement t’enflammer?

Nigbati mo wo ẹwa ori rẹ ti o ni irun alaawọ ofeefee, ti a de ni ade ẹfọ alawọ ewe,

Ohun elo orin ti o mu ki kike rẹ ladun

Pe iwọ le fi ipa rẹ yi igi ati apata la; nigbati mo ba ri ọ ni ẹwa,

Ati ti o rọgba yika pẹlu ẹgbẹgbẹrun iwa rere, ti a gbe ga pẹlu ọla giga julọ,

Ni ipo ogo ti ko si ẹnikẹni le de si i, Ju ibi ti ẹnikẹni Le de lọ,

Ati fifi opin si iyin awọn ọlọla julọ,

Nigbanaa ọkan mi sọ ninu mi, ti kun fun ikaanu:

Awọn iwa rere to po ti o mu ki a nifẹ si ọ,

Ọpọ iwa rere to sọ ọ di ayanfẹ, ti o sọ ọ di ẹni iyi lọwọ gbogbo eniyan,

Ṣe awọn naa ko le tun jẹ ki o nifẹ mi pada?

Ati, fifi kun iyin ti o yẹ fun awọn iwa rere rẹ

Itẹsiwaju ore-ọfẹ yi, ti n ṣe ikaanu mi,

Ṣe iwọ ko le ru ifẹ mi soke ni irorun?

One sees every living thing die

When its subtle soul departs from the body:

I am the body, you the better part—

Where then are you, O beloved soul?

Do not leave me so long thus fainting:

To come and save me after would be too late.

Alas! Do not expose your body to such peril;

Restore to it its valued and rightful share.

But make it, my Friend, that this encounter

And loving meeting be not dangerous,

Attending it not with sternness,

Not with harshness, but with gentle grace,

Which softly may restore to me your beauty,

Once cruel, now at last kind.

Mǐ nɔ mɔ nǔ e ɖo gbɛ lɛ́ɛ bǐ ɖo kúkú wɛ;

Hwenu e lindɔ̌n e ɖò hwlahwlá é na gosin agbaza ɔ mɛ é:

Nyɛ wɛ nyí agbaza ɔ́, midɛɛ lɛ́ɛ wɛ nyí wǔjɔnú ɖagbe ɔ́.

Fítɛ́ a ka ɖe hwenɛ́nu, lindɔ̌n vívɛ́ná ce?

Ma jó mì dó bónú un nɔ xò nǔ kpɔ́n nú táan gegě ó:

Bo na dó hwlɛn mì gán ɖò enɛ gudo ɔ, un na wá hwenu e é jɛxa dó é.

Ée! Ma jó agbaza towe dó ɖo awovinú élɔ́ mɛ ó:

Mi lɛ́vɔ ná ɛ akpáxwé tɔn e é ɖó sísí ná é kpódó vlɔɖówe tɔn kpó.

Amɔ̌, xɔ́ntɔn ce, yí gbè nú kplé wanyiyi tɔn kpo

Kplékplé enɛ kpo ni ma nyí awovinú ó,

É nɔ xwedó è, é nɔ nyí kpo hlɔnhlɔn kpo ǎ,

É nyí kpo hlɔnhlɔn kpo ǎ, loɔ, kpo fɛ́nú kpo wɛ,

Bo nɔ lɛ́vɔ sɔ́ ɖɛkpɛ towe dó mì kpo xomɛfífá kpo,

É nyí adakaxotɔ́ ɖ’ayǐ, àmɔ́

bo ká nɔ nyɔ́ ɖɛkpɛ dìn.

On voit mourir toute chose animée,

Lors que du corps l’âme subtile part:

Je suis le corps, toi la meilleure part:

Où es-tu donc, ô âme bien aimée?

Ne me laissez pas si longtemps pâmée:

Pour me sauver après viendrais trop tard.

Las ! Ne mets point ton corps en ce hasard:

Rends-lui sa part et moitié estimée.

Mais fais, Ami, que ne soit dangereuse

Cette rencontre et revue amoureuse,

L’accompagnant, non de sévérité,

Non de rigueur, mais de grâce amiable,

Qui doucement me rende ta beauté,

Jadis cruelle, à présent favorable.

A n ri gbogbo ohun alaaye ku,

Nigbati ẹmi rẹ to farasin jade kuro ni ara rẹ:

Emi ni ara, iwo ni apakan to dara julo:

Nibo ni iwo wa, ẹmi ayanfẹ mi?

Ma fi mi silẹ pẹ titi iwọ ti n daku lọ:

Lati wa gba mi ko di igba ti yoo pẹju.

ó ṣeni láàánú! Má fi ara rẹ sí ewu bẹ́e:

Da imoyi ati ipin Titọ rẹ pada sinu rẹ.

Ṣugbọn ṣe, Ọrẹ mi, ki ipade yi má dá lara,

Ati iranpada ifẹ yi má jẹ ewu,

Ṣugbọn ṣe, Ọrẹ mi, ki ibapade yi ati ipade ifẹ yi ma jẹ ewu,

Mase lọ sibẹ pẹlu onroro, ki ṣe pẹlu ikanra ṣugbọn pelu ore-ọfẹ jẹjẹ,

Ti yoo ṣeṣe ko rọrun fun mi lati da ẹwa rẹ pada sọdọ mi,

Tó jẹ́ aláìlera rí, ṣùgbọ́n nísinsin yìí dára sí mi.

O long desires, O vain hopes,

Sad sighs and customary tears

That from me engender many rivers,

Of which my two eyes are sources and fountains!

O cruelties, O inhuman hardnesses,

Pitiful glances of the celestial lights,

Of the frozen heart, O earliest passions,

Do you think to increase still my pains?

Let Love again try his bow on me,

Let him hurl new fires and new darts,

Let him take umbrage, and do his worst:

For I am so wounded on every side

That within me no new wound

Could find a place to make me suffer more.

Jlǒ e mi ɖó nukún sín hwenu línlín ɖíe lɛ́ɛ mi,

Nukúnɖíɖó vɔ̌tɔ́ mitɔn lɛ́ɛ mi!

Gbɔjɛ aluwɛ tɔn kpo ɖasin aca tɔn kpo ɖì,

Tɔsisa gěgé wɛ nɔ́ tɔ́n sín gɔ̌n ce ɖɔ́hun,

Bó nɔ́ tɔ́n sín nukún ce we lɛ́ɛ nɔ́ jí.

O adakaxixo, adakaxixo e ma nyí gbɛtɔ́ tɔn ǎ é,

Nǔblawukúnúmɛ nukúnmɛ weziza sɛ́xwé tɔn lɛ tɔn,

O jlǒ nukɔntɔn ayi e xú é tɔn lɛ,

A lin ɖɔ emi na lɛ́ bló bɔ aluwɛ ce lɛ na jɛji wɛ à?

Wanyiyi ní lɛ́ tɛ́n gǎ tɔn kpɔ́n dó jǐ ce,

É ní nyi myɔ yɔ̌yɔ́ kpódó hwǐ yɔ̌yɔ́ kpó dó jǐ ce, é

Ní dó xomɛsin nú mì, bó

Wa nǔ nyanya hú mɔ̌ lě e é kpé wú gbɔn é.

Đó è gblě wǔ ce gbɔn fí bǐ;

Ðó akpà yɔyɔ̌ ɖebǔ kún sixu mɔ tɛn ɖò ayi ce mɛ

Bo na lɛ́ hɛn ninɔmɛ ce nyla d’eji ó.

Ô longs désirs, ô espérances vaines,

Tristes soupirs et larmes coutumières

À engendrer de moi maintes rivières,

Dont mes deux yeux sont sources et fontaines!

Ô cruautés ô duretés inhumaines,

Piteux regards des célestes lumières,

Du coeur transi ô passions premières

Estimez-vous croître encore mes peines?

Qu’encor Amour sur moi son arc essaie,

Que de nouveaux feux me jette et nouveaux dards,

Qu’il se dépite et pis qu’il pourra fasse:

Car je suis tant navrée en toute part

Que plus en moi une nouvelle plaie

Pour m’empirer, ne pourrait trouver place.

O ife gigun, o eyin ireti asan,

Imi ẹdun ati omije ti a sọ di aṣa lati inu mi wa,

Jẹ odo pupọ,

Eyi ti oju mi mejeeji jẹ orisun ati kanga wọn!

O ika, o okan lile ti ko ni aanu,

Iriran ibanuje ti ina orun,

Lati inu okan ti didi; O ẹyin ifẹ ibẹrẹ,

Njẹ o n ro lati mu irora mi pọ si bi?

Ki Ife tun le lo ibon re si mi,

Ki o tun ju ina tuntun ati ofa tuntun si mi,

Jẹ Ki o binu, ki o si ṣe eyi ti o buru ju ti o le se:

Nitori pe a ti pamilara gan ni gbogbo iha,

De bi pe, ninu mi ko si ipalara tuntu

O beautiful brown eyes, O averted glances,

O warm sighs, O tears poured forth,

O dark nights vainly awaited,

O shining days vainly returned!

O sorrowful laments, O obstinate desires,

O wasted time, O pains expended,

O a thousand deaths caught in a thousand snares,

O worst evils destined against me!

O smiles, O brow, hair, arms, hands, and fingers!

O plaintive lute, viol, bow, and voice!

So many flames to burn for a single woman!

I complain of you — that, bearing so many fires,

In so many places my heart feeling them out,

I have not stolen from you some spark.

O nukún ɖɛkpɛɖɛkpɛ kɔ́nɔ lɛ,

O nukúnmɛ e è huzú lɛ é,

O azɔwinwɛ zo zo lɛ,

O ɖasin e kɔn nyi ayǐ lɛ é,

O zǎn wiwi e è nɔte kpɔ́n vɔ̌nu lɛ é,

O azǎn e ɖò wěziza mɛ lɛ é lɛkɔ wá vɔ̌nu!

Mi avǐ aluwɛ tɔn lɛ, jlǒ syɛnsyɛn lɛ mi,

Hwenu e è hɛn gblé é, aluwɛ e ɖò ganjɛwu mɛ lɛ é,

Kú afatɔ́n ɖo ɖɔ afatɔ́n mɛ,

Nǔ nyanya e nyla hú bǐ bɔ è sɔ́ ɖ’ayǐ nú mì é!

O nukiko, O ɖa, alɔgbla, alɔ, kpo alɔví lɛ kpo!

O gǎngǎnwî, gǎ kpódó gbè kpó e nɔ dó aluwɛ mɛ é!

Zogbɛ́n gègě wɛ è na dó zo nú nyɔnu ɖé!

Un kú nǔbláwǔ nú we, ɖó un hɛn myɔ gěgé,

Bó ɖo ayi ce sè wɛ ɖo fí gěgé ɖo yě mɛ,

Bɔ un fin wěziza ɖokpó ɖo así towe ǎ.

Ô beaux yeux bruns, ô regards détournés,

Ô chauds soupirs, ô larmes épandues,

Ô noires nuits vainement attendues,

Ô jours luisants vainement retournés!

Ô tristes plaints, ô désirs obstinés,

Ô temps perdu, ô peines dépendues,

Ô milles morts en mille rets tendues,

Ô pires maux contre moi destinés!

Ô ris, ô front, cheveux bras mains et doigts!

Ô luth plaintif, viole, archet et voix!

Tant de flambeaux pour ardre une femelle!

De toi me plains, que tant de feux portant,

En tant d’endroits d’iceux mon coeur tâtant,

N’en ai sur toi volé quelque étincelle.

O oju didan dun, o iwo iriran ti o yipada,

O ìmi gbona, o omije ti a da ka kiri,

O ale dudu ti a duro de lasan,

O ọjọ imole ti a pada ri lasan!

O ariwo ibanuje, o ṣisafẹri ifẹ ti ko rọrun,

O akoko ti o sọfo,

O irora ti a da silẹ,

O iku ẹgba ẹgbẹrun ninu ẹgbẹrun ẹwọn ti a gbe kalẹ,

O awọn buburu ti o buru ju lọ ti a yan Lodi si mi!

O erin, o iwaju, irun, apa, ọwọ ati ika!

O ilu orin ibanuje, gítà, ọrun ati ohùn!

Otooro ina bayi lati jo obinrin kan nikan!

Mo ṣe awawi nipa rẹ pe, gbigbe awọn ọpọlọpọ ina,

Ninu ọpọlọpọ ibi ọkan mi ni imọ Lara wọn jade,

Nko ji sipaki ina kankan lara rẹ.