Original Poem:

“Rima XIV (Te vi un punto)”

--Gustavo Adolfo Becquer

Te vi un punto, y, flotando ante mis ojos,
la imagen de tus ojos se quedó,
como la mancha obscura, orlada en el fuego,
que flota y ciega si se mira al sol.  

Adondequiera que la vista fijo,
torno a ver tus pupilas llamear;
mas no te encuentro a ti; que es tu mirada:
unos ojos, los tuyos, nada más.  

De mi alcoba en el ángulo los miro
desasidos fantásticos lucir;
cuando duermo los siento que se ciernen
de par en par abiertos sobre mí.  

Yo sé que hay fuegos faustos que en la noche
llevan al caminante a perecer:
yo me siento arrastrado por mis ojos
pero a donde me arrastran, no lo sé.

“Official” Translation:

“Rima XIV (A glimpse of you…/ Te vi un punto…)”

--Gustavo Adolfo Bécquer (Trans. L. Popkin and M. Berg)

A glimpse of you and, adrift before my eyes,
like the floating blind spot ringed with flames
that lingers after staring at the sun,
the image of your eyes remained.

Whenever I fix my gaze,
again I see those pupils flash
but I never find you, just your eyes,
those eyes, your gaze, peering back.

I watch them in a corner of my room
aglow there, phantasmal and free
in my sleep I can feel them still,
hovering wide open over me.

I know there are will-o’-the-wisps that lure
wayfarers to their deaths in the night;

I feel the pull of your eyes
but where they take me I know not.

Ferber, Michael, ed. European Romantic Poetry. Pearson Education: New York, 2005. 349.

Student Translation #1:  

I saw you there, and, floating before my eyes,
The image of your eyes I remember,
As a dark spot, edged in Fire,
That floats and blinds me as if I'm looking at the sun.  

Wherever I see that,
I see your pupils blazing;
But you do not lead me to you; that is your way:
Just eyes, yours, and nothing more.  

In my bedroom mirror I look at them
They light up fantastically disengaged;
When I sleep I feel them searching
The pair of them on me.  

I know that there are happy fires in the Night
They lure a traveler to his death:
I feel drawn by my eyes
But where they drag me, I do not know.

Student Translation #2:

"Rhyme XIV (I saw you a dot)"
by Gustavo Adolfo Becquer  

I saw you, a dot, fluttering before my eyes,
the image of your eyes did not fade,
like a blurred stain, adorned in fire,
that flutters, blinding as if one stares into the sun.  

Wherever I fix my eyes upon,
I return to see your burning pupils;
No more will I meet you; only what is your gaze:
the eyes, your eyes, nothing more.

From my bedroom in my line of sight I see them
fantastic releases shining;
when I sleep, I feel them looming
in me wide open.

I know that there are happy fire that in the night
lead the walk to death:
I feel pulled by my eyes
but to where they pull me, I do not know.