«Однажды ночью я увидел вечность…» Английские стихотворения XVI–XVII веков / I saw Eternity the other night…. Коллектив авторов

virtue ['vɜ:ʧu:], [-tjʋ-] – добродетель; /какое-либо/ достоинство, положительное качество; to prefer [prɪ'fɜ:] – предпочитать; оказывать поддержку; способствовать; выдвигать, продвигать, повышать /в чине, звании/).

      And if they do reply (и если они возразят),

      Spare not to give the lie (непременно обличи /их/ во лжи; to spare [speə] – беречь, жалеть, сберегать; щадить; обходиться без /чего-либо/).

      So when thou hast, as I (итак, когда ты, как я)

      Commanded thee, done blabbing (приказал тебе, проделаешь болтовню = завершишь/проделаешь выбалтывание/разглашение тайн; to command [kə'mɑ:nd] – приказывать; thee [ði:] – /уст., поэт./ тебе, тебя, тобой /косвенный падеж от thou [ðaʋ] – ты/; to blab – болтать /о чем-либо/; /= blab out/ разбалтывать, выбалтывать /важные сведения, тайну/) —

      Although to give the lie (несмотря на то, что обличать = обличение во лжи; although [ɔ:l'ðəʋ] – хотя, если бы даже; несмотря на то, что)

      Deserves no less than stabbing (заслуживает не менее, чем /колющий/ удар /шпагой, кинжалом/; to deserve [dɪ'zɜ:v] smth. – заслуживать что-либо, быть достойным чего-либо; to stab – наносить колющий удар /ножом, книжалом, шпагой/, колоть, ранить /кинжалом, ножом и т. п./) —

      Stab at thee he that will (наноси = пусть наносит тебе удар, кто хочет),

      No stab the soul can kill (никакой удар не может убить душу).

      Go, soul, the body’s guest,

      Upon a thankless errand;

      Fear not to touch the best;

      The truth shall be thy warrant.

      Go, since I needs must die,

      And give the world the lie.

      Say to the court, it glows

      And shines like rotten wood;

      Say to the church, it shows

      What’s good, and doth no good.

      If church and court reply,

      Then give them both the lie.

      Tell potentates, they live

      Acting by others’ action;

      Not loved unless they give,

      Not strong but by a faction.

      If potentates reply,

      Give potentates the lie.

      Tell men of high condition,

      That manage the estate,

      Their purpose is ambition,

      Their practice only hate.

      And if they once reply,

      Then give them all the lie.

      Tell them that brave it most,

      They beg for more by spending,

      Who, in their greatest cost,

      Seek nothing but commending.

      And if they make reply,

      Then give them all the lie.

      Tell zeal it wants devotion;

      Tell love it is but lust;

      Tell time it is but motion;

      Tell flesh it is but dust.

      And wish them not reply,

      For thou must give the lie.

      Tell age it daily wasteth;

      Tell honour how it alters;

      Tell beauty how she blasteth;

      Tell favour how it falters.

      And as they shall reply,

      Give every one the lie.

      Tell wit how much it wrangles

      In tickle points of niceness;

      Tell wisdom she entangles

      Herself in overwiseness.

      And when they do reply,

      Straight give them both the lie.

      Tell physic of her boldness;

      Tell skill it is pretension;

      Tell charity of coldness;

      Tell law it is contention.

      And as they do reply,

      So give them still the lie.

      Tell fortune of her blindness;

      Tell nature of decay;

      Tell friendship of unkindness;

      Tell justice of delay.

      And if they will reply,

      Then give them all the lie.

      Tell arts they have no soundness,

      But vary by esteeming;

      Tell schools they want profoundness,

      And stand too much on seeming.

      If arts and schools reply,

      Give arts and schools the lie.

      Tell faith it’s fled the city;

      Tell how the country erreth;

      Tell manhood shakes off pity;

      Tell virtue least preferreth.

      And if they do reply,

      Spare not to give the lie.

      So when thou hast, as I

      Commanded thee, done blabbing—

      Although to give the lie

      Deserves no less than stabbing—

      Stab at thee he that will,

      No stab the soul can kill.

      The Passionate Man’s Pilgrimage

      (Паломничество страстного[18] человека)

[Supposed to be written by one at the point of death (предполагается,

18

Passionate ['pæʃ(ə)nət] – пылкий, страстный.