Centre for Romanian Studies

Poetry in Translation (CLXXII): Edmund Burke (1729 – 1797), Anglo-Irish Philosopher, Poet & Politician – “The Mirror”, “Oglinda”

Edmund Burke, Anglo irish, British Politician, Philosopher, Poet

The Mirror

Edmund Burke , 1729 – 1797, Irish Philosopher‫.‬

I look in the mirror
And what do I see‫?‬
A strange looking person
That cannot be me‫.‬

For I am much younger
And not nearly so fat
As that face in the mirror
I am looking at‫.‬

Oh, where are the mirrors
That I used to know
Like the ones which were
Made thirty years ago‫?‬

Now all things have changed
And I`m sure you`ll agree
Mirrors are not as good
As they used to be‫.‬

So never be concerned‫,‬
If wrinkles appear
For one thing I`ve learned
Which is very clear‫,‬

Should your complexion
Be less than perfection‫,‬
It is really the mirror
That needs correction!!

Oglinda

Edmund Burke ,
(1729 – 1797), Irlanda

Mă uit în oglindă
Şi ce pot afla?
O faţă curioasă
Ce nu e a mea!

Căci sunt mult mai tânăr
Şi nici gras nu sînt
Ca cel din oglinda
La care mă uit.

O, Sfinte Sisoaie,
O rugă îţi fac
Găseste-mi oglinda
Mai veche de-un veac.

Căci cele de astăzi
Nu sunt cum au fost,
Fiind toate schimbate
Şi fără de rost!

Mai bine ignoră
Când riduri apar
Un lucru fiind sigur
Şi limpede, chiar.

Când faţa-i departe
De-a fi c-altă dată,
E timp ca oglinda
Să fie schimbată.

(Rendered in Romanian by Constantin ROMAN, London,
© 2013 Copyright Constantin ROMAN)

NOTE:

This is to thank our Canadian reader Monsieur Vincent Damboiu for bringing this English poem to our attention, which is now translated in Romanian (Editor).