Ancient Greek Poem translated by A.Z. Foreman- Poems Found in Translation

Poems Found In Translation: “Semonides of Amorgos: On Fate and Fatality (From Greek)”

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Semonides of Amorgos: On Fate and Fatality (From Greek) Posted: 22 Dec 2014 02:37 PM PST On Fate and Fatality (Fr. 1) By Semonides of Amorgos Translated by A.Z. Foreman Look, lad. Deep-thundering Zeus controls the end  Of everything, and works it as he will.  Men have no cognizance, but live as pastured Cattle beholden to the flight of days, Not knowing to what end the god will bring All things, and all of us. Yet we all live On nourishment of hope and confidence, Reaching for what is out of reach. Some wait for The next day, some the turning of next season; No mortal thinks he will not reach next year As Lord Wealth's protegé and healthy friend. But old age comes upon a man before He makes his goal, while some grotesque disease Devours another. Others slay each other  On Ares' bleeding fields and are taken down By Hades underneath the dark of earth, And some die out at sea blasted by storm And the endless harrowing salt waves of the deep, When they can't make a living on dry land, And there are those who fasten their own grim noose And leave the light of day and life by choice. So everything has its own special harm. Countless Daemons of doom, disasters and dangers We can't foresee exist to blindside mortals.  So here is my advice: don't cling to hope For good that brings but grief, nor torture yourself By dwelling on heart-battering regret.  The Original: ὦ παῖ, τέλος μὲν Ζεὺς ἔχει βαρύκτυπος πάντων ὅσ᾿ ἐστὶ καὶ τίθησ᾿ ὅκῃ θέλει, νοῦς δ᾿ οὐκ ἐπ᾿ ἀνθρώποισιν, ἀλλ᾿ ἐπήμεροι ἃ δὴ βοτὰ ζώομεν, οὐδὲν εἰδότες ὅκως ἕκαστον ἐκτελευτήσει θεός. ἐλπὶς δὲ πάντας κἀπιπειθείη τρέφει ἄπρηκτον ὁρμαίνοντας· οἱ μὲν ἡμέρην μένουσιν ἐλθεῖν, οἱ δ᾿ ἐτέων περιτροπάς· νέωτα δ᾿ οὐδεὶς ὅστις οὐ δοκεῖ βροτῶν πλούτῳ τε κἀγαθοῖσιν ἵξεσθαι φίλος. φθάνει δὲ τὸν μὲν γῆρας ἄζηλον λαβὸν πρὶν τέρμ᾿ ἵκηται, τοὺς δὲ δύστηνοι βροτῶν φθείρουσι νοῦσοι, τοὺς δ᾿ Ἄρει δεδμημένους πέμπει μελαίνης Ἀΐδης ὑπὸ χθονός· οἱ δ᾿ ἐν θαλάσσῃ λαίλαπι κλονεόμενοι καὶ κύμασιν πολλοῖσι πορφυρῆς ἁλὸς θνήσκουσιν, εὖτ᾿ ἂν μὴ δυνήσωνται ζόειν· οἱ δ᾿ ἀγχόνην ἅψαντο δυστήνῳ μόρῳ καὐτάγρετοι λείπουσιν ἡλίου φάος. οὕτω κακῶν ἄπ᾿ οὐδέν, ἀλλὰ μυρίαι βροτοῖσι κῆρες κἀνεπίφραστοι δύαι καὶ πήματ᾿ ἐστίν. εἰ δ᾿ ἐμοὶ πιθοίατο, οὐκ ἂν κακῶν ἐρῷμεν, οὐδ᾿ ἐπ᾿ ἄλγεσιν κακοῖς ἔχοντες θυμὸν αἰκιζοίμεθα.