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A Poison Tree

I was angry with my friend:
I told my wrath, my wrath did end.
I was angry with my foe:
I told it not, my wrath did grow.
 
And I watered it in fears
Night and morning with my tears,
And I sunned it with smiles
And with soft deceitful wiles.
 
And it grew both day and night,
Till it bore an apple bright,
And my foe beheld it shine,
And he knew that it was mine –
 
And into my garden stole
When the night had veiled the pole;
In the morning, glad, I see
My foe outstretched beneath the tree.
 
(1794)
 
Translation

Otrovno drvo

Razgnevih se na druga mog,
Gnev izrekoh, i on prohuja.
Razgnevih se na vraga zlog,
Prećutah, i gnev poče da buja.
 
Strahom sam taj gnev odgajao,
Lukavstvima nežnim ga negovô,
Osmehom sunčao, i njegovo
Stablo suzom napajao.
 
Srdžba rasla noću i danju
I rodila jabuku što me zaseni,
Dušman je moj motrio na nju
I znao je da pripada meni.
 
Dušman u voćnjak moj se, noću,
Kad sjaja nije, ušunjô tajno,
I ujutru ga spazih, s radošću,
Opruženog pod voćkom sjajnom.
 
(1794)
 
(Translated by Pavlović, Miodrag and Simonović, Ljubomir)
 
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