Poetry International Poetry International
Poem

Luís Vaz de Camões

Whoever, Lady, sees plainly on view . . .

Whoever, Lady, sees plainly on view
your beautiful eyes in their lustrous being
without being blinded in the act of seeing
is already not paying your face’s due.

This seems to me an honest price,
but I, for the merit of deserving them,
gave both life and soul to serve them
apart from which I am without resource.

Enough that life and soul and hope
and as much as I have is all yours,
and the proof of this I alone know.

For such good fortune is beyond scope
giving you all that is in my power
as the more I pay you, the more I owe.

Whoever, Lady, sees plainly on view . . .

Quem vê, Senhora, claro e manifesto
o lindo ser de vossos olhos belos,
se não perder a vista só em vê-los,
já não paga o que deve a vosso gesto.

Este me parecia preço honesto;
mas eu, por de vantagem merecê-los,
dei mais a vida e alma por querê-los,
donde já me não fica mais de resto.

Assi que a vida e alma e esperança
e tudo quanto tenho, tudo é vosso,
e o proveito disso eu só o levo.

Porque é tamanha bem-aventurança
o dar-vos quanto tenho e quanto posso
que, quanto mais vos pago, mais vos devo.
Close

Whoever, Lady, sees plainly on view . . .

Whoever, Lady, sees plainly on view
your beautiful eyes in their lustrous being
without being blinded in the act of seeing
is already not paying your face’s due.

This seems to me an honest price,
but I, for the merit of deserving them,
gave both life and soul to serve them
apart from which I am without resource.

Enough that life and soul and hope
and as much as I have is all yours,
and the proof of this I alone know.

For such good fortune is beyond scope
giving you all that is in my power
as the more I pay you, the more I owe.

Whoever, Lady, sees plainly on view . . .

Whoever, Lady, sees plainly on view
your beautiful eyes in their lustrous being
without being blinded in the act of seeing
is already not paying your face’s due.

This seems to me an honest price,
but I, for the merit of deserving them,
gave both life and soul to serve them
apart from which I am without resource.

Enough that life and soul and hope
and as much as I have is all yours,
and the proof of this I alone know.

For such good fortune is beyond scope
giving you all that is in my power
as the more I pay you, the more I owe.
Sponsors
Gemeente Rotterdam
Nederlands Letterenfonds
Stichting Van Beuningen Peterich-fonds
Ludo Pieters Gastschrijver Fonds
Lira fonds
Partners
LantarenVenster – Verhalenhuis Belvédère