অয়ি ধূলি, অয়ি তুচ্ছ, অয়ি দীনহীনা,
সকলের নিম্নে থাক নীচতম জনে
বক্ষে বাঁধিবার তরে; সহি সর্ব ঘৃণা
কারে নাহি কর ঘৃণা। গৈরিক বসনে
হে ব্রতচারিণী তুমি সাজি উদাসীনা
বিশ্বজনে পালিতেছ আপন ভবনে।
নিজেরে গোপন করি, অয়ি বিমলিনা,
সৌন্দর্য বিকশি তোল বিশ্বের নয়নে।
বিস্তারিছ কোমলতা হে শুষ্ক কঠিনা--
হে দরিদ্রা, পূর্ণা তুমি রত্নে ধান্যে ধনে।
হে আত্মবিস্মৃতা, বিশ্বচরণবিলীনা,
বিস্মৃতেরে ঢেকে রাখ অঞ্চল-বসনে।
নূতনেরে নির্বিচারে কোলে লহ তুলি,
পুরাতনে বক্ষে ধর হে জননী ধূলি।

(From the Bengali of Satyendranath Datta)
MY FLOWERS were like milk and honey and wine; I bound them into a posy with a golden ribbon, but they escaped my watchful care and fled away and only the ribbon remains.
My songs were like milk and honey and wine, they were held in the rhythm of my beating heart, but they spread their wings and fled away, the darlings of the idle hours, and my heart beats in silence.
The beauty I loved was like milk and honey and wine, her lips like the rose of the dawn, her eyes bee-black. I kept my heart silent lest it should startle her, but she eluded me like my flowers and like my songs, and my love remains alone.

WHEN I BRING you coloured toys, my child, I understand why there is such a play of colours on clouds, on water, and why flowers are painted in tints-when I give coloured toys to you, my child.
When I sing to make you dance, I truly know why there is music in leaves, and why waves send their chorus of voices to the heart of the listening earth-when I sing to make you dance.
When I bring sweet things to your greedy hands, I know why there is honey in the cup of the flower, and why fruits are secretly filled with sweet juice-when I bring sweet things to your greedy hands.
When I kiss your face to make you smile, my darling, I surely understand what pleasure streams from the sky in morning light, and what delight the summer breeze brings to my body-when I kiss you to make you smile.