O tempo nada te dirá: Auden

Roger de La Fresnaye, 1913

If I could tell you

Time will say nothing but I told you so,

Time only knows the price we have to pay;

If I could tell you I would let you know.

If we should weep when clowns put on their show,

If we should stumble when musicians play,

Time will say nothing but I told you so.

There are no fortunes to be told, although,

Because I love you more than I can say,

If I could tell you I would let you know.

The winds must come from somewhere when they blow,

There must be reasons why the leaves decay;

Time will say nothing but I told you so.

Perhaps the roses really want to grow,

The vision seriously intends to stay;

If I could tell you I would let you know.

Suppose the lions all get up and go,

And all the brooks and soldiers run away;

Will Time say nothing but I told you so?

If I could tell you I would let you know.

W. H. Auden

Se eu puder te dizer

O tempo nada te dirá mas eu te digo.

O tempo só sabe de nosso preço a pagar;

Se eu puder te dizer, separarás joio e trigo.

Se o show dos clowns nos causar desabrigo,

Se tropeçarmos quando a orquestra tocar,

O tempo nada te dirá mas eu te digo.

Não há sortes a serem lidas, sem pascigo,

Porque te amo mais do que posso declarar,

Se eu puder te dizer, separarás joio e trigo.

O vento sopra desde seu lugar de fustigo,

Deve haver razões para a folhagem tombar,

O tempo nada te dirá mas eu te digo.

Talvez o roseiral queira passar do espigo,

A visão circunspectamente teima em fixar,

Se eu puder te dizer, separarás joio e trigo.

Digamos que leões acordem e saiam sem perigo,

E todos os riachos e soldados ponham-se a recuar;

O tempo nada te dirá mas eu te digo?

Se eu puder te dizer, separarás joio e trigo.

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