Saturday, September 15, 2012

Seven years as a Shepherd

Seven years as a Shepherd
Sonnet by Luis de Camoes (free translation by Vika Winters)

Seven years as shepherd Jacob served
Laban, father of Rachel, beautiful mountain girl;
but he did not served the father, he served her
and she was the only pay he desired

The days, in the hope of one day,
he passed, contenting himself with only seeing her;
But the father, using stealth,
instead of Rachel, gave him Leah.

Seeing the sad shepherd, that, by deceit,
he had been denied his shepherd girl,
as if he had not deserved her,

promptly serving another seven years,
said: I'd serve even more, if it weren't
for such great love, so short a life.

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