Luis de Góngora y Argote (1561-1627) was a Spanish poet and playwright of the Golden Age, the leading exponent of the literary current later known as ‘culteranismo’ or ‘gongorismo.’

Yesterday you were born, and tomorrow you will die.

For such a brief being, who gave you life?

To live so little are you lucid?

And to be nothing, are you so luxuriant?

If its vain beauty deceived you,

very soon you will see it faded,

because it is hidden in your beauty

the chance to die an early death.

When the sturdy hand cuts you,

the law of agriculture permitted,

rude breath will end your luck.

Do not go out, for some tyrant awaits you;

delay your birth for life,

that you anticipate your being for your death.

Already kissing crystalline hands,

Already knotting itself to a white and smooth neck,

Already spreading over it that hair

that Love dug out of the gold of his mines,

Already breaking into those fine pearls

a thousand sweet words without deserving it,

Already taking from every fair lip

purple roses without fear of thorns,

I was, oh, clear envious sun,

when your light, wounding my eyes,

killed my glory and ended my fortune.

If heaven is no less powerful,

why do not theirs give no more anger,

Lightning, like your son, put you to death.

Header Image:

Portrait of Luis de Góngora y Argote. Source: Deposit of the Museo Nacional del Prado