A fool there was and he made his prayer
   (Even as you and I!)
To a rag and a bone and a hank of hair
(We called her the woman who did not care)
But the fool he called her his lady fair –
   (Even as you and I!)

Жил дурак, и любил он всего сильней,
Как, впрочем, и ты и я,
Копну волос и мешок костей,
Ничтожество – вот было имя ей,
Но дурак ее звал королевой своей,
Как, впрочем, и ты и я.

Oh, the years we waste and the tears we waste,
   And the work of our head and hand
Belong to the woman who did not know
(And now we know that she never could know)
   And did not understand.

Хлеб, и цветы, и силу мечты –
Все, чем жизнь людская полна,
Он ей отдавал во имя любви,
И она говорила с ним о любви,
Но любви не знала она.

A fool there was and his goods he spent
   (Even as you and I!)
Honour and faith and a sure intent
(And it wasn't the least what the lady meant),
But a fool must follow his natural bent
   (Even as you and I!)

Жил дурак, отдавая все, что имел,
Как, впрочем, и ты и я,
Молод он был, и красив, и смел,
А все-таки ей угодить не сумел,
Дурак был рожден для дурацких дел,
Как, впрочем, и ты и я.

Oh, the toil we lost and the spoil we lost,
   And the excellent things we planned,
Belong to the woman who didn't know why
(And now we know that she never knew why)
   And did not understand.

Горечь в груди и мрак впереди –
Все, чем жизнь людская страшна,
Он испытал во имя любви,
И она объяснилась ему в любви,
Но любви не знала она.

The fool was stripped to his foolish hide
   (Even as you and I!)
Which she might have seen when she threw him aside
(But it isn't on record the lady tried)
So some of him lived but the most of him died
   (Even as you and I!)

Был ощипан дурак – с умом, догола,
Как, впрочем, и ты и я.
А после мимо она прошла
И бровью не повела.
Не умер дурак, но сгорел дотла,
Как, впрочем, и ты и я.

And it isn't the shame and it isn't the blame
   That stings like a white hot brand,
It's coming to know that she never knew why
(Seeing at last she could never know why)
   And never could understand.

И все б не беда, – лишь горечь стыда,
Да мысль день и ночь одна –
Она ведь не знала его любви,
Она вообще не знала любви,
Ни черта не знала она.