Velika Togenburg

Velíka, Togenburg!
by France Prešeren

Great, Toggenburg, was the suffering

Of yours; mine overcomes it:

For at last your darling softens

as she daily opens the window of your cell.

Till the dawn to the evening you are happy

Hoping that her gentle image will be seen,

And even when the deadly drop of sweat comes

Your trustful gaze turns to her.

In the heaven I mean to see her eyes

- When I dare to look in them -

As two angry cherubs with a fiery sword.

To not offend her in perpetual trembling,

I, poor soul, flee from her sight;

no ray is shining into the night of my life.

Notes:

Translated by Matija Podhraški (see the GNU FDL version at [1])

The Slovenian original (with audio file as mp3) can be found at http://www.preseren.net/slo/3_poezije/80_velika.asp

The poem is referring to the popular German ballad Knight Toggenburg by Friedrich Schiller.