APRIL by Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe

April
Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe

TELL me, eyes, what 'tis ye're seeking;
For ye're saying something sweet,
Fit the ravish'd ear to greet,
Eloquently, softly speaking.

Yet I see now why ye're roving;
For behind those eyes so bright,
To itself abandon'd quite,
Lies a bosom, truthful, loving,--

One that it must fill with pleasure
'Mongst so many, dull and blind,
One true look at length to find,
That its worth can rightly treasure.

Whilst I'm lost in studying ever
To explain these cyphers duly,--
To unravel my looks truly
In return be your endeavour!

The original poem in German

APRIL
Goethe

Augen, sagt mir, sagt, was sagt ihr?
Denn ihr sagt was gar zu Schönes,
Gar des lieblichsten Getönes;
Und in gleichem Sinne fragt ihr.

Doch ich glaub' euch zu erfassen:
Hinter dieser Augen Klarheit
Ruht ein Herz in Lieb' und Wahrheit
Jetzt sich selber überlassen,

Dem es wohl behagen müßte,
Unter so viel stumpfen, blinden,
Endlich einen Blick zu finden,
Der es auch zu schätzen wüßte.

Und indem ich diese Chiffern
Mich versenke zu studiren,
Laßt euch ebenfalls verführen,
Meine Blicke zu entziffern!

APRIL(Another English Version)
Eyes tell, tell me, what you tell me,
Telling something all too sweet,
Making music out of beauty,
With a question hidden deep.

Still I think I know your meaning,
There behind your pupils’ brightness,
Love and truth are your heart’s lightness,
That, instead of its own gleaming,

Would so truly like to greet,
In a world of dullness, blindness,
One true look of human kindness,
Where two kindred spirits meet.