Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz, Prosigue el mismo asunto y determina que prevalezca la razón contra el gusto

Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz
(fuente: Descontexto)
no copyright infringement intended

Love flows in a unity of contraries.

Al que ingrato me deja, busco amante; 

al que amante me sigue, dejo ingrata; 

constante adoro a quien mi amor maltrata; 

maltrato a quien mi amor busca constante. 

Al que trato de amor, hallo diamante, 

y soy diamante al que de amor me trata; 

triunfante quiero ver al que me mata, 

y mato al que me quiere ver triunfante. 

Si a éste pago, padece mi deseo; 

si ruego a aquél, mi pundonor enojo: 

de entrambos modos infeliz me veo. 

Pero yo, por mejor partido, escojo 

de quien no quiero, ser violento empleo,

que, de quien no me quiere, vil despojo.

(fuente: Descontexto)

(video by Lecturika audiolibros)

I found also an English version that, I believe, is far from the original's beauty. It has the merit to help us understand the meaning of the poem, in its subtleties.

The ingrate that drops me has my passion,

Another pursues, but I ignore him;

Constant mistreats me and I adore him;

He who loves me receives my derision.

Diamond-hard, he gets all my attention,

I’m diamond-hard to he who implores me;

I want to vanquish he who deplores me,

And send the other into oblivion.

I pay for one through desire’s coercion;

Pleading will lead to honor’s desertion;

Both methods vex my unhappy heart.

So I, to choose a better part,

The one I don’t want I’ll use well,

And drop the unloving scoundrel.

(source: monasticmatrix)

(Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz)