XII

 

Zergatik maite-mindutzen gera? Ziurki uste det

   Indar au lillura dala, mearen aldarte txikia,

Txinpart, jaiotzean artzen degun

   Zuzia ta berriro itzultzen.

Jainkotasun tanta ori, arri bizia bezela,

   Puxka txikienean argitsu dirdirazi egin dezakena.

Santuetan ugaria, pekatarieri ez ezaguna;

   Ema-galdu, lekaime, ongille ta txoriburu,

Maite duten aietan diztiatzen du; beste iñork

Ez bereizten gaiztoa onetik; gizonaren erortzeak ez zun eman

   Zamaitutako jakintza ori; itsu-itsuka irrikatzen degun ori,

Zintzotasun ez ezaguna gaitik gure egarri ta gosea.

Adimenaren oztopotik goititu— ta maite degu.

 

 

 

XII

Why do we fall in love? I do believe / That virtue is the magnet, the small vein / Of ore, the spark, the torch that we receive / At birth, and that we render back again. / That drop of godhood, like a precious stone / May shine the brightest in the tiniest flake. / Lavished on saints, to sinners not unknown; / In harlot, nun, philanthropist, and rake, / It shines for those who love; none else discern / Evil from good; Man’s fall did not bestow / That threatened wisdom; blindly still we yearn / After a virtue that we do not know, / Until our thirst and longing rise above / The barriers of reason—and we love.