Silno zadovoljstvo

Silno zadovoljstvo 

Ja imam časove dugog očajanja,

Beznadežne tuge, obmana, i jada;

Ja imam časove kada se slatko sanja

I požudno želi i blaženo strada.

Ja imam časove čedne, krotke, smerne,

Kad čistotom trepte misli moje mlade,

I u mojoj duši pobožne i verne,

Zašumore himne, pohvale i nade.

Jest, duša je moja ko kutije stare,

Što u svetom hramu na dovratku stoje,

Gde prolaznik svaki spušta skromne dare

Za smirene svece i za bližnje svoje.

Pokolenje svako, veliku il malu,

Spustilo je u nju milostinju koju,

Ljubav ili mržnju, pogrdu il hvalu,

Osmeh ili otrov i žaoku svoju.

Sad kroz žile moje struje krvi razne,

Ja ropćem i pevam, ja kunem i slavim,

I koračam smelo, bez straha od kazne,

Krivudavom stazom i putima pravim!

Očajanje, tuga, beda? Prazne reči!

Kad na zemlji više nema moći te

Da u mojoj duši pomuti il spreči

Silno zadovoljstvo, osećati sve!

Immense Satisfaction

I have hours of despair extreme,

Hopeless grief, deceit and anguish;

I have hours when I sweetly dream,

Lustfully desire and blissfully languish.

I have hours chaste, humble and fine,

When my mind with pure feelings brim,

And my soul begins to hum divine

And faithful praise, hope and hymn.

Yes, my soul is like old boxes that lie

On the doorstep of a church wherein

Modest gifts are left by each passer-by

For the mollified saints and next-of-kin.

For them, each generation always

Its alms, great or small, did bring,

And love or hate, reproach or praise,

A smile or poison and its bitter sting.

Mixed blood now runs my veins thro’,

I groan and sing, I curse and celebrate,

Fearless of penalty I tread boldly, too,

A winding path and all roads straight!

Despair, grief, misery? Empty talk!

On earth, no such power may befall

That in my soul may tarnish or block

The immense satisfaction of feeling all!

(Translation by: Ljiljana Parović)