Francisco de Quevedo

Inútil y débil victoria del Amor
en el que ya es vencido amante


¡Mucho del valeroso y esforzado,
y viéneslo a mostrar en un rendido!
Bástame, Amor haberte agradecido
penas, de que me puedo haber quejado.

¿Qué sangre de mis venas no te he dado?
¿Qué flecha de tu aljaba no he sentido?
Mira que la paciencia del sufrido
suele vencer las armas del airado.

Con otro de tu igual quisiera verte;
que yo me siento arder de tal manera,
que mayor fuera el mal de hacerme fuerte.

¿De qué sirve encender al que es hoguera,
si no es que quieres dar muerte a la Muerte,
introduciendo en mí que el muerto muera?



Futile and puny victory of Love
in one who is already a vanquished lover


So brave you are and so endowed with strength,
and you must demonstrate it on the weak!
Enough for me, Love, that I've thanked you for
my woes, of which I might complaining speak.

What blood did I not give you from my veins?
Which of your arrows has not done me wrong?
See how the very patience of the meek
so often bests the weapons of the strong.

I'd like to see you forced to fight your equal;
for I see myself on fire to such extent,
that I don't dare my will to fortify.

What good is it to burn one who's a bonfire
unless your goal is to put Death to death,
starting with me, who as a dead man die. 

                     (©Alix Ingber, 1995)



 E-mail your comments and questions to:

Alix Ingber
Professor of Spanish
Sweet Briar College

ingber@sbc.edu



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