Gitanjali — Song 50
Gitanjali — Song 50
Rabindranath Tagore
I had gone a-begging from door to door in the village path, when thy
golden chariot appeared in the distance like a gorgeous dream and I
wondered who was this King of all kings!
My hopes rose high and methought my evil days were at an end, and I
stood waiting for alms to be given unasked and for wealth scattered on
all sides in the dust.
The chariot stopped where I stood. Thy glance fell on me and thou
camest down with a smile. I felt that the luck of my life had come at
last. Then of a sudden thou didst hold out thy right hand and say “What
hast thou to give to me?”
Ah, what a kingly jest was it to open thy palm to a beggar to beg! I
was confused and stood undecided, and then from my wallet I slowly took
out the least little grain of corn and gave it to thee.
But how great my surprise when at the day’s end I emptied my bag on the
floor to find a least little gram of gold among the poor heap. I
bitterly wept and wished that I had had the heart to give thee my all.
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Complete 103-poem English Gitanjali, translated by the author and published in 1912. · Translated by Rabindranath Tagore
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