Changing every moment his image whimsical,
Capricious as a child, and ghostly, like smoke,
Boils everywhere Life in anxiety is fussy,
Great mixed with the insignificant and ridiculous.
What an uncontrollable rumble and how a pathetic picture!
Here - a kiss of love, and there - a knife blow;
Here the bravery of the harlequin rattled brazenly,
And there goes a prophet, bent under the cross.
Where the sun - there is a shadow! Where tears and prayers -
There is a hungry moan of rebellious poverty;
Yesterday here was the height of a bloody battle,
And tomorrow - fragrant flowers will blossom.
Here is a wonderful pearl in the mud, trampled by the crowd,
But here is a fragrant fruit, made with a worm;
Now you were a hero, proud of yourself,
Now you are a pale coward, depressed with shame!
Here's life, this Sphinx! Its law is an instant,
And there is no such wise man among people,
Who could tell the crowd - where her movement,
Who could see the features of her face.
That she is all sadness, then all of it is a bait,
Everything in it is brilliance and light, everything is shame and darkness;
Life is a seraph and a drunken Bacchante,
Life is an ocean and a tight prison!
S. Nadson
1886