Love Is a Fire
AC Benus translation of "Amor é um fogo"
by Luís de Camões
Love's a fire whose burning is never seen;
He's a wound that hurts, but is never quite felt;
He's a raging discontented contentment;
He's a pain that eats away without throbbing.
He's pure wanting, whose want is to be desired;
He's loneliness amongst the crowds of people;
He's not satisfied with mere complacency;
He's the caring that's achieved through surrender.
He's the desire playing captive to the will;
He serves the man who vanquishes the victor;
He's fealty to the one who'd still slay us.
But how to bring his favor to mortal hearts,
So seemingly dead in their conformity,
When the same love acts contrary to himself?
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