THE KOBZAR OF THE UKRAINE
85
Smoke clouds hide the sun
Through the ages
Your sons shall curse you.
Wash yourselves—
The divine likeness in you
defile not with slime.
Befool not your children
that they were born to the world
to be lordlings.
The eyes of men untaught
see deep, deep
into your soul.
Poor things they may be,
yet they know the ass
in the lion's skin.
And they will judge you,
the foolish will pronounce the doom
of the wise.
