Dark am I, yet lovely
O, fellow men
Dark like the black paint
Like the night time of the remote
African village
Do not stare at me because I am dark
Because I am darkened by the sun
My friends were angry with me
And made me mined the coal
Made me load the charcoal
Made me does dark work
For darkest I was
They thought.
My own duty I neglected
Tell me, you whom I love
Where you harvest your Lilly
Where you stare at them
At midday
Why should I be like a veiled man
Beside the roses of your friends?
I like you, my darling to a mare
Harnessed to one of the chariots
Of the king.
Your cheeks are beautiful
Your neck gorgeous with natural
Strings of jewels
I will make you ear-rings of gold
Studded with silver.
Your smile burns my veins
You are a rose of darling river
Lilly of the valleys
Carnation of the still waters
Like Lilly among thorns
Is my honey among women
Confident I feel when with you
Let’s go to the countryside
They dare stare not anymore at me
When you are with me
For you cover my dark skin
With love.
This poem has not been translated into any other language yet.
I would like to translate this poem