XXIII

 

Devon’era joan giñan,

   Uda euri beroan, jakiñaz

Gure zoriontasuna, onenean,

   Ez genula geio ezagutuko;

Aaztu gabe,

   “Eriotzak aldendu-arazi gaitzan arte” ori,

Izugarrizko zoriontsua izan nintzan

   Eriotza nere biotzean gordeaz.

 

Pake garaian, maitaleak,

   Aurrean berrogeitabost urteekin,

Irri egin eta mokokatzeko,

   Edo zer emango duten galdetzeko denbora, bai;

 

Bañan guda-garaiko maitaleak

   Obeto ulertzen

Bizitzaren osotasuna,

   Eriotzaren jazarpenarekin.

 

 

 

XXIII

We went down to Devon, / In a warm summer rain, / Knowing that our happiness / Might never come again / I, not forgetting, / ‘Till death us do part’, / Was outrageously happy // With death in my heart. / Lovers in peacetime / With fifty years to live, / Have time to tease and quarrel / And question what to give; // But lovers in wartime / Better understand / The fullness of living, / With death close at hand.