Sonnet No 43

for male choir (TTBarBB)
Duration ca 6′
Written for Lodewijk van der Ree and male choir de.fundo

Premiere: January 27, 2013
de.fundo male choir; Lodewijk van der Ree
Grote Kerk, Overschie, Rotterdam, Netherlands

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When most I wink, then do mine eyes best see, / Kui sulen laud, mu silmad hästi näevad,
For all the day they view things unrespected; / sest unes seisad sina nende ees,
But when I sleep, in dreams they look on thee, / ei köida vaadet millegagi päevad,
And darkly bright, are bright in dark directed. / kuid pilk saab selgeks pimeduse sees.
Then thou, whose shadow shadows doth make bright, / Oo, sinu vari varju teeb nii selgeks,
How would thy shadow’s form form happy show, / kuis kirgastuks su kujust päeval ilm,
To the clear day with thy much clearer light, / kuis läheks sinu helgusest ta helgeks,
When to unseeing eyes thy shade shines so! / kuid nii su varju öös näeb pime silm.
How would, I say, mine eyes be blessed made / Mis õndsus oleks minu silmadele
By looking on thee in the living day, / sind vaadata taas päeval elaval,
When in dead night thy fair imperfect shade / kuid surnud öös su vari on nii hele,
Through heavy sleep on sightless eyes doth stay! / et unes püsib silmis uinujal.
All days are nights to see till I see thee, / Päev öö on seni, kuni näen kord sind,
And nights bright days when dreams do show thee me. / öö päev, kui unes külastad sa mind.

Sonnet nr 43 by William Shakespeare, Estonian translation by Harald Rajamets.