Maybe that’s the way that it should be —
We’ve done it now since who knows when.
Yes, maybe we SHOULD fall upon our kness
Before the geniuses of men.
Praise and glorify and laud;
There aren’t many men of zeal,
So why not blandish and applaud
And glorify and kneel?
But I would gather all the titans,
Remove my hat and then I’d say
That I will sing them no more paeans
Nor cajole them in a sycophantish way.
You all are men of intellectuality,
So tell me please — sincerely and with brevity:
Who — for what — has given you your immortality?
Who — for what — has lengthened your longevity?
Talk and scream that everyone beyond the portals
May see and grasp and bring to mind:
You got your immortality from mortals,
Your lives were lengthened by the mortals of mankind.
That you may fly on wings that never stop,
That you may soar upon eternity’s eonian breeze,
Their wisdom slowly, drop by drop
The mortals gleaned for you like bees.
You were their banner, if you please,
In wars for truth, lucidity in human ken,
So, Geniuses! Immortals! — on your knees
And kneel before the ranks of mortal men.
Перекладач: Andriy M. Freishyn-Chirovsky
Оригінал: Може так і треба неодмінно…
Мова: english
