This is another poem of Tagore,I am translating.I hope my readers will find it interesting. The title is ‘A Miser’
A Miser
I was returning to the village after begging in different homes,
Gold coin of Richard III, 1377-99 (Photo credit: Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery)
you were riding your gold chariot.
It seemed like an unbelievable dream to me_
how captivating was the sight,how beautiful was your attire!
I was thinking in my mind who is this Maharaja.
My dawn started with such a pleasant sight, I thought then
today I won’t move around door to door to beg
As soon as I was out who did I meet on the path, I began to think,
from the moving chariot the Maharaja will toss gold and silver coins on both sides of the path___
I will pick them in both my hands, all those heavy metals.
I see suddenly the chariot stops near me,
you looked at me and smiled as you came down.
your pleasant face made me forget my pain,
at this time what compelled you to come here
‘give me something my dear’ after saying this you held out your hand.
How can it be, my Maharaja, ‘give me something’____
as I heard this I lowered my head for a moment.
What can you want from a beggar like me!
This is only a joke you are making fun of me.
I took out a small thing and gave it to you.
When I brought my bundle home and emptied it out___what is this,
Amid all my things I got from begging I see a small gold piece!
The small stingy piece I gave returned to me as a piece of gold____
Then my eyes welled with tears I cried,
why didn’t I give you everything in my bundle?
English: Silver rupee with legend inside square area.From my personal collection. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Sabethville 