/---/
Lake Leman lies by Chillon's walls:
A thousand feet in depth below
Its massy waters meet and flow;
Thus much the fathom-line was sent
From Chillon's snow-white battlement,
Which round about the wave inthralls:
A double dungeon wall and wave
Have made—and like a living grave
Below the surface of the lake
The dark vault lies wherein we lay:
We heard it ripple night and day;
Sounding o'er our heads it knock'd;
And I have felt the winter's spray
Wash through the bars when winds were high
And wanton in the happy sky;
And then the very rock hath rock'd,
And I have felt it shake, unshock'd,
Because I could have smiled to see
The death that would have set me free.
/---/
Lake Leman lies by Chillon's walls:
A thousand feet in depth below
Its massy waters meet and flow;
Thus much the fathom-line was sent
From Chillon's snow-white battlement,
Which round about the wave inthralls:
A double dungeon wall and wave
Have made—and like a living grave
Below the surface of the lake
The dark vault lies wherein we lay:
We heard it ripple night and day;
Sounding o'er our heads it knock'd;
And I have felt the winter's spray
Wash through the bars when winds were high
And wanton in the happy sky;
And then the very rock hath rock'd,
And I have felt it shake, unshock'd,
Because I could have smiled to see
The death that would have set me free.
/---/
/---/
Chilloni valli külje all,
Küll tuhat jalga sügaval,
Seal kihab, keerleb meie voog,
Lööb vastu kalju laente loog.
Chilloni valge valli pealt,
Kuis hirmul vaadata on sealt…
Vood vangi koda piiravad,
Kui surnuhauda – elavat…
See pime põrgu sügaval
On järve põhjas, laente all.
Me kuulsime seal päeval, ööl,
Kuis tormasivad laened tööl.
Kuis vesi vastu valli käis
Nii vahutavat viha täis…
Kuis vete raske rõhu all
Ka kalju oli kõikuval.
Ei aga mina hirmunud,
Ma ootsin surma sügaval –
See oleks priiust kinkinud.
/---/
George Gordon Byron (1788 – 1824) Jaan Parve (1867 – 1899) tõlkes
