Today, Smarval welcomes a special contributor, Vasile Panfile — a lover of words and epigrams, whose life experience and sense of humor continue to inspire those around him.
Through his creations, he reminds us that talent knows no age limits and that intelligent irony can remain forever young.
It is our great pleasure to share with our readers a selection of his epigrams:
To the Younger Ones
Original (Romanian)
Celor mai tineri
Catrenul ce-l aveți în față
Vă-ntâmpină cu o povață:
Fiți lacomi, fără de măsură,
Când este vorba de cultură!
English Adaptation
To the Younger Generation
These simple lines would like to say:
Seek knowledge gladly, every day.
Be endlessly eager to explore
The world of culture more and more.
Newton and I
Original (Romanian)
Newton și eu
Am fost loviți de câte-un măr
Și-am constatat că dubiu nu-i:
El a aflat un adevăr,
Eu… m-am ales cu un cucui!
English Adaptation
Newton and I
We both were struck by falling fruit,
Of this there is no real dispute.
He found a law that changed the view,
I only got a bump or two!
Life and Lavoisier’s Law
Original (Romanian)
Viața si legea lui Lavoisier
Din zilele ce ne sunt date
Nici una în neant nu piere;
Trăindu-le, sunt în scădere,
Dar se adună la etate.
English Adaptation
Life and Lavoisier’s Law
No day we live is ever gone,
Though one by one they travel on.
Our days may slowly disappear,
Yet all return as added years.