07-04-2012, 12:20 AM
PS I probably would not use contraction with this. So:
What the eyes do not see,
the heart does not feel.
Unless you reverse the order and write
The heart feels not,
what the eyes don't see.
Almost have to do that for the rhythmical quality of it. I think I like the second one the best myself. I think it catches the essence of it better. Of course literally it conveys a more visceral effect as "sente" would translate as sense (although it can carry the connotation of regret).
"vêem" on the other hand literally means view, from the Latin "vīsus" (vision or vista I think), but "behold" probably works better when taking both lines into account.
So
The heart senses not
what the eyes do not behold.
Yes, that seems the more poetic translation and puts me in mind of Rumi.
Somewhat beside the point, but did you know that "romantic love" is a purely Western concept, and one that arose in the Middle Ages as a response to goddess worship being forced underground, thus the development of the "courtly love tradition", later to be satirized in Don Quixote. It was an acceptable way to worship the goddess by projecting that worship onto a human woman and doing chivalrous deeds in her name. Initially it was always chaste, but as we see in the tale of Gwen and Lance, or Tristan and Isolde, it did not stay that way. It became a major vehicle for tragic plays, as two people (a man and a woman) are so overcome by the passion of this illicit love they betray themselves and everyone they know which or course leads to great tragedy, not to mention great melodrama!
Dale
What the eyes do not see,
the heart does not feel.
Unless you reverse the order and write
The heart feels not,
what the eyes don't see.
Almost have to do that for the rhythmical quality of it. I think I like the second one the best myself. I think it catches the essence of it better. Of course literally it conveys a more visceral effect as "sente" would translate as sense (although it can carry the connotation of regret).
"vêem" on the other hand literally means view, from the Latin "vīsus" (vision or vista I think), but "behold" probably works better when taking both lines into account.
So
The heart senses not
what the eyes do not behold.
Yes, that seems the more poetic translation and puts me in mind of Rumi.
Somewhat beside the point, but did you know that "romantic love" is a purely Western concept, and one that arose in the Middle Ages as a response to goddess worship being forced underground, thus the development of the "courtly love tradition", later to be satirized in Don Quixote. It was an acceptable way to worship the goddess by projecting that worship onto a human woman and doing chivalrous deeds in her name. Initially it was always chaste, but as we see in the tale of Gwen and Lance, or Tristan and Isolde, it did not stay that way. It became a major vehicle for tragic plays, as two people (a man and a woman) are so overcome by the passion of this illicit love they betray themselves and everyone they know which or course leads to great tragedy, not to mention great melodrama!
Dale
How long after picking up the brush, the first masterpiece?
The goal is not to obfuscate that which is clear, but make clear that which isn't.
The goal is not to obfuscate that which is clear, but make clear that which isn't.