Pablo Neruda

Läste denna dikt på italienska, orginalet är på spanska och jag har sökt en översättning till englska för att så många som möjligt av er ska förstå den.

Muere lentamente

Muere lentamente quien se transforma en esclavo del habito, repitiendo todos los días los mismos trayectos, quien no cambia de marca, no arriesga vestir un color nuevo y no le habla a quien no conoce.

Muere lentamente quien hace de la televisión su guía. Muere lentamente quien evita una pasión, quien prefiere el negro sobre blanco y los puntos sobre las "ies" a un remolino de emociones, justamente las que rescatan el brillo de los ojos, sonrisas de los bostezos, corazones a los tropiezos y sentimientos.

Muere lentamente quien no voltea la mesa cuando esta infeliz en el trabajo, quien no arriesga lo cierto por lo incierto para ir detrás de un sueño, quien no se permite por lo menos una vez en la vida, huir de los consejos sensatos.

Muere lentamente quien no viaja, quien no lee, quien no oye música, quien no encuentra gracia en si mismo.

Muere lentamente quien destruye su amor propio, quien no se deja ayudar. Muere lentamente, quien pasa los días quejándose de su mala suerte o de la lluvia incesante.

Muere lentamente, quien abandonando un proyecto antes de iniciarlo, no preguntando de un asunto que desconoce o no respondiendo cuando le indagan sobre algo que sabe.

Evitemos la muerte en suaves cuotas, recordando siempre que estar vivo exige un esfuerzo mucho mayor que el simple hecho de respirar. Solamente la ardiente paciencia hará que conquistemos una espléndida felicidad."

English version

Dies slowly he who transforms himself into the slave of habit, repeating every day the same itineraries, who does not change a brand, does not risk to wear a new color and doesn't talk to whom he doesn't know.

Dies slowly he who makes of television his guru. Dies slowly he who avoids a passion,who prefers black to white and the dots on the "i" than to the whirlpool of emotions, those ones that recover the gleam of the eye, smiles from the yawns, hearts from the stumbling and the feelings.

Dies slowly he who does not overthrow the table when is he is unhappy at work,who does not risk the certain for the uncertainto go toward that dream that has been keeping him awake.Who does not allow, at least once in his life, flees from wise counsel.

Dies slowly he who does not travel, does not read, he who does not listen to music, who does not find grace in himself.

Dies slowly he who destroys his self esteem, who does not accept somebody's help. Dies slowly he who passes his days complaining of his bad luck or the incessant rain.

Dies slowly he who abandons a project before starting it,who does not ask over a subject that he does not knowor who does not answer when being asked about something he knows.

Dies slowly he who does not share his emotions, joys and sadness, who does not trust, who does not even try. Dies slowly he who does not re-live his memories and continues getting emotional as if living them at that moment.

Dies slowly he who does not intent in excelling, who does not learn from the stones from the road of life, who does not love and or let' s somebody love.

Let's avoid death in soft doses, remembering always that to be alive demands an effort much bigger than the simple fact of breathing... And only through perseverance do we conquer the splendid happiness.