И легкий воздух и огонь палящий -
всегда с тобою, где бы я ни жил.
Воздушна мысль, и жжет пожар желаний,
отсутствие-присутствие двух сил.
Когда к тебе стремятся двух стихий
нежнейшие посланники любви,
Я, четырех-стихийный, из-за них
тону до смерти в меланхолии.
Когда замкнется жизни полнота,
по возвращеньи сих двух от тебя -
Тогда узнаю я наверняка,
Что ты здоров, а потому - и я:
Сказав, я рад, но снова загрущу,
Когда к тебе их вскоре отпущу.
SONNET 45
The other two, slight air and purging fire,
Are both with thee, wherever I abide;
The first my thought, the other my desire,
These present-absent with swift motion slide.
For when these quicker elements are gone
In tender embassy of love to thee,
My life, being made of four, with two alone
Sinks down to death, oppress'd with melancholy;
Until life's composition be recured
By those swift messengers return'd from thee,
Who even but now come back again, assured
Of thy fair health, recounting it to me:
This told, I joy; but then no longer glad,
I send them back again and straight grow sad.
NOTES
XLV. The poet had spoken of earth and water as entering into his compositions. He had omitted the other elements, air and fire. These constituents of him, the one as thought, the other as desire, are constantly passing to and fro over the separating distance, causing sadness and joy by their departure and return.
1. Purging fire. The purifying influence of the "refiner's fire" is well known. Here, however, the idea would seem to be that of swiftness and impetuosity.
9. Recured. Restored.
12. Thy . Q. "their."