by Anonymous / Unidentified Author

Language: English 
Our translations:  CAT CHI SPA
Flow, my tears, fall from your springs!
Exiled for ever, let me mourn;
Where night's black bird her sad infamy sings,
There let me live forlorn.

Down vain lights, shine you no more!
No nights are dark enough for those
That in despair their lost fortunes deplore.
Light doth but shame disclose.

Never may my woes be relieved,
Since pity is fled;
And tears and sighs and groans my weary days
Of all joys have deprived.

From the highest spire of contentment
My fortune is thrown;
And fear and grief and pain for my deserts
Are my hopes, since hope is gone.

Hark! you shadows that in darkness dwell,
Learn to contemn light
Happy, happy they that in hell
Feel not the world's despite.

Composition:

    Set to music by John Dowland (1562 - 1626), "Flow, my tears"

Text Authorship:

  • by Anonymous / Unidentified Author

See other settings of this text.

Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):

  • CAT Catalan (Català) (Sílvia Pujalte Piñán) , "Fluïu, llagrimes meves", copyright © 2013, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
  • CHI Chinese (中文) (YiLing Chaing) , "流吧眼泪", copyright © 2021, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
  • SPA Spanish (Español) (Javier Conte-Grand) , "Fluid, lágrimas mías, caed de vuestros manantiales!", copyright © 2009, (re)printed on this website with kind permission


Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]

This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 20
Word count: 124