Disillusionment (English translation)

Ontnugtering/Disillusionment By: C Louis Leipoldt Translated by: Maruska Language of origin: Afrikaans Disillusionment Oh darling, when I listen to the wind Crying so forlornly every night Through the oak tree’s leaves above the house, Then I think back, when as a child, I was happy, innocent, faithful To those I loved, without the cross Or bitter scorn which can suddenly rise up And barely be softened by forgetting. This was the time before I ever saw you, Before I knew that love could be cruel And that the worst grief can carry a sad enjoyment, Only after my heart’s passion served you to death, robbed of hope and spirit, did I learn why the nightly wind moans It sounds really great in Afrikaans (very moving) and the rhyme scheme is: abbaabba (first stanza) abcabc (second stanza) Here is the original version in Afrikaans by the famous poet C Louis Leipoldt: Ontnugtering O liefling, as ek luister na die wind Wat snags so klaend en weemoedig suis Deur die eikeboom se blare bo die huis, Dan dink ek terug aan toe ek nog as kind Gelukkig was, onskuldig, trougesind Aan wie ek lief gehad het, sonder kruis Of bitter hoon wat skielik op kan bruis En skaars versagting in vergeet kan vind. Dit was die tyd voor ek jou eers gesien het, Voor ek kon weet dat liefde wreed kan wees En ergste smart 'n droef genot kan dra. Eers na my hart se hartstog jou bedien het Tot sterwens toe, bankrot aan hoop en gees, Heb ek geleer hoekom die nagwind kla