(I'm not a francophone, so my transliterations may be off, and I'm going from the English translation, = so it may wander far from the original French)

mi pu cusku sedu'u la ermitaj darno = la obon

.i mi pu klama fo loi me la andilis = cmana =A0noi kukte be lo ka viska

.i ca le nu cadzu ku mi pensi ko'a = goi le ba se viska be mi

.e le prami te rinsa be fe mi bei = ko'a be'o

.e le nu cinba poi denpa le nu mi = klamu'o

.i le pa nu cinba po'u lo nu betri = cinba

zi'e poi nu'o fasnu ku'o febgau = lemi ciblu fi'o gradu

lo sedycarna je =

kadviska = je

cidydesku je = nalcidysra

.i =A0mi pu bilga le nu sisti je = zutse

fi'o mutce kalsa le greku be = mi

.i mi jibni le nu = sajycri

.i =A0le co'a nu mi viska ko'a ku = ro da xruti

.i=A0 ca le nu mi kansa ko'a ku mi = cinmo lo ka pikci je cimni je terplicau glare po'o

=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0= =A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0 --gejyspa

From: lojban-beginners-bounce@lojban.org = [mailto:lojban-beginners-bounce@lojban.org] On Behalf Of David Cortesi
Sent: Tuesday, June 12, = 2007 7:33 PM
To: lojban-beginners@lojban.org
Subject: = [lojban-beginners] Translation challenge

Came upon what = is apparently a famous passage from the _Confessions_ of Rousseau. Well, = Byron wrote that it was "the most passionate, yet not impure, description = and expression of love that ever kindled into words."

Here's the French & an approximate Englishing; anyone want to try translating it? I'm bailing in the first, simplest sentence; I can't = figure out how to say "it is far from A to B," let alone "I've said <that>."

"J'ai dit qu'il y avoit loin de l'Hermitage =E0 Eaubonne; =
    I have said it is far from The Hermitage to = Eaubonne;
          mi pu cusku

je passois par les coteaux d'Andilly qui sont charmans.
    I went by the hills of Andilly, which are = delightful;

je r=EAvois en marchant =E0 celle que j'allois voir,
    walking, I mused on her whom I would be seeing,

=E0 l'accueil caressant qu'elle me feroit,
    the tender welcome she would give me,

au baiser qui m'attendoit a mon arriv=E9e.
    and on the kiss that awaited me on arrival.

Ce seul baiser, ce baiser funeste
    That one kiss, that calamitous kiss,

avant m=EAmede le recevoir, m'embrasoit le sang =E0 tel point,
    even before I claimed it, inflamed my blood to such = degree

que ma t=EAte se troubloit,
    that my head spun,

un =E9blouissement m'aveugloit,
    my eyes were dazzled,

mes genoux tremblants ne pouroient me soutenir;
    my knees shook and would not support me;

j'=E9tois forc=E9 de m'arr=E9ter, de m'asseoir;
    I had to stop and sit down;

toute ma machine =E9toit dans un d=E9sordre inconcevable;
    all my frame was in incredible disarray;

j'=E9tois pr=EAt =E0 m'=E9vanouir....
    I was near to fainting....

A l'instant que je la voyois, tout =E9toit r=E9par=E9;
    The moment I saw her, all was well;

je ne sentois plus aupr=E8s d'elle que l'importunit=E9
d'une vigueur in=E9puisable et toujours inutile.

    once with her, I felt no more than a beseeching,
    inexhaustible, useless = ardor.