Bertha's Eyes

You can hold in contempt the most famous eyes, Beautiful eyes of my child, whence filters and flees A certain something as kind, as sweet as the Night! Beautiful eyes pour your charming shadows upon me! Urge eyes of my child, adored mysteries, You greatly resemble those magical grottos In which, behind the heap of lethargic shadows, Unknown treasures sparkle indistinctly! My child has eyes, dark, profound and immense Like you, vast Night, lighted like you! Their fires are those thoughts of Love mingled with Faith Which sparkle in their depths, voluptuous or chaste. Translated by - William Aggeler The Eyes of My Child You can despise the most celebrated eyes, O eyes of my lovely child, through which filter and flee The goodness and softness of Night immeasurably! Beautiful eyes, pour on me your charming darkness! Great eyes of my child, adorable mysteries, You look so like those magical grottos Where, from heaps of lethargic shadows, Dimly sparkle unknown treasures! My child has dark, deep eyes and wide, Illuminated like you, like you, enormous night! Their fires are dreams of Love and Faith Scintillating in the very heart, voluptuous or chaste. Translated by - Geoffrey Wagner Bertha's Eyes The loveliest eyes you can scorn with your wondrous glow: O! beautiful childish eyes there abounds in your light, A something unspeakably tender and good as the night: O! eyes! over me your enchanting darkness let flow. Large eyes of my child! O Arcana profoundly adored! Ye resemble so closely those caves in the magical creek; Where within the deep slumbering shade of some petrified peak, There shines, undiscovered, the gems of a dazzling hoard. My child has got eyes so profound and so dark and so vast, Like thee! oh unending Night, and thy mystical shine: Their flames are those thoughts that with Love and with Faith combine, And sparkle deep down in the depths so alluring or chaste. Translated by - Cyril Scott Bertha's Eyes The most illustrious gaze you may despise, Eyes of my child, where filters and takes flight I know not what of goodness, soft as night. Pour out on me your lovely shade, dear eyes! Great eyes of my dear child! arcanes adored! You seem like magic caves where shadow darkles And, through the mass of crowded gloom, there sparkles And scintillates some richly treasured hoard. My girl has eyes as deep, vast, and serene As you, O night, immense, and lit like you; Their fires are thoughts of Love, with faith shot through, Voluptuous, and chaste, though sparkling keen. Translated by - Roy Campbell