『老いについて』〜老化へのいくつかの省察〜（第1部）

優雅に歳を重ねる魂がある。
年月が静かに流れるにつれ、その輝きを増し、
まるでなめらかに鞣（なめ）された仔羊の革のように、
あるいは芳醇に熟した美酒のようになってゆく。

一方で、白髪を増やし、ごつごつと歪に尖り、
時の容赦ない牙に削られながら、
陰鬱にやつれ果ててゆく者たちもいる。
かつて美しかった姿は、
誇り高き全盛期の、色褪せた戯画と化してしまう。

錬金術の真髄とは、
不安や苦しみの中で朽ちてゆくことではない。
むしろ、春雨の後に羽を広げる孔雀のように、
堂々と、華やかに、そして喜びに満ちて花開くことである。

だから、錬金術の秘密についてもっと学ぶにつれて,
薄暗い日々も、輝かしい日々も、
そのすべてを深く味わいなさい。
秘められた風味が、余すところなく花開くように。

時そのものが光の中で変容し、
以前は眠っていたものが生き返るように。

AGING: Some reflections on senescence (Part 1)

IN STANDARD ENGLISH:

Some souls blimp gracefully, gaining glory as their years glide by,
becoming smooth freshly-shorn lambskins and sweetly ripened wine.

Others grow gray and gnarly, becoming grimly haggard,
against the sharp, shredding teeth of time.

Their forms once fair, become pale parodies of their proud prime.

The art of alchemy is not to age in angst or pain,
but to bloom with panache, proudly and gayly, like proud peacocks after a spring rain.

So stir your elixir slowly and learn a magic that is dark and deep:
let moments ripen like secrets where shifting shadows keep.
Drink deeply of days both dim and bright.

Let fair flavors come fully to bloom,
For time itself must is transformed in the light,
as what was formerly sleeping comes ta life.

IN ORIGINAL MUTANT ANGLISH:

Sum soules blimp gracefully
gaining glorie as thare yores glide by
becumming smoothe as soft shorn lambskins
'n sweetly raipened wine.

Uthars graye and gnarle, grimly haggard in the heap,
against the sharpe, shredding teeth of Thyme.
Their formes once faire, now fall flat and deep—
pale parodies of their proud prime.

The Arte of Alchemie, I asseverate,
is not ta age in angst or payne,
but to bloome with panache, proud 'n gaie,
like golden peacocks glistening after a roaring rayne.

So, as you learn more about alchemical secrets,
drynke deepe of dayes both dimme 'n brighte,
Let flavours faire cum fulle ta bleeding bloom.
For Thyme itselfe is transformed in the lighte,
as what was formerly sleepin' comes ta laife.