Rima XVII

by Gustavo Adolfo Bécquer
translated by Howard A. Landman


Hoy la tierra y los cielos me sonríen;
hoy llega al fondo de mi alma el sol;
hoy la he visto.., la he visto y me ha mirado...
    ¡Hoy creo en Dios!

Today the earth and heavens smile on me;
today the sun shines in the depths of my soul;
today I saw her..., I saw her and she looked at me...
    Today I believe in God!



Translations by others:


To-day the earth and the heavens smile on me;
To-day the sun strikes to my inmost soul;
To-day I saw her - saw her - she looked at me -
    To-day I believe in God!

Translated by Owen Innsly
Copyright ©1882 by A. Williams & Company

To-day the earth, to-day the heavens smile,
    To-day the sun has reached its highest goal
    And probed into the bottom of my soul:
To-day I saw her for a little while. -
    I saw my loved one and she glanced at me;
    To-day I do believe there is a Deity.

Translated by Jules Renard
Copyright ©1908 by Richard G. Badger



Today the earth and the heavens both smile upon me;
Today to my soul's depths reaches the sun's warm ray;
Today I beheld her ... beheld and she gazed on me ...
    I believe in God, today!

Translated by Young Allison
Copyright ©1924 by Young Allison

To-day the sun struck to my spirit's depths,
To-day is crowned with light, with light is shod,
To-day I saw her, and she smiled to me,
    To-day I believe in God!

Translated by Rupert Croft-Cooke
Copyright ©1927 by Rupert Croft-Cooke


Next (Rima XVIII) Previous (Rima XVI) Becquer's Rimas Howard's poetry page Howard's home page

Thanks to Kael Warmaster for help with the translation.
Copyright ©2001-2004 Howard A. Landman / howard@polyamory.org
Created 2001 November 21 Last updated 2004 May 24