泰戈尔是印度诗人、哲学家和印度民族主义者，1913年他成为第一位获得诺贝尔文学奖的亚洲人。他的诗中含有深刻的宗教和哲学的见解，对泰戈尔来说，他的诗是他奉献给神的礼物，而他本人是神的求婚者。泰戈尔的诗在印度享有史诗的地位，代表作《吉檀迦利》《飞鸟集》。
lamp of love
爱之灯
light, oh where is the light? 光，哦哪里有光？
kindle it with the burning fire of desire! 让渴望的熊熊烈火去点燃它
there is the lamp but never a flicker of a flame---is such thy fate, my heart?
ah, death were better by far for thee!
这是一盏灯而从不是一次火光的闪烁----这是你的命运吗，我的心？
啊，死亡往大里说对你更好
misery knocks at thy door,
悲惨敲打着你的门
and her message is that thy lord is wakeful,
而她告诉你，你的神已经觉醒
and he calls thee to the love-tryst through the darkness of night.
他在夜的漆黑中呼唤你去赴爱的约会
the sky is overcast with clouds and the rain is ceaseless.
天空多云而阴沉，雨水从未断绝
i know not what this is that stirs in me---i know not its meaning.
我不知道什么在搅动着我的内心---我不知道它的意思
a moment's flash of lightning drags down a deeper gloom on my sight,
and my heart gropes for the path to where the music of the night calls me.
曾有一瞬间的闪电在我眼中拉下了更深的阴影，而我的心在探索着一条道路，夜的音乐呼唤着我到那里去
light, oh where is the light!
光，哦哪里有光？
kindle it with the burning fire of desire!
让渴望的熊熊烈火去点燃它
it thunders and the wind rushes screaming through the void.
它雷动着且狂风呼啸冲撞于旷野
the night is black as a black stone.
夜黑得如一块黑色的石头
let not the hours pass by in the dark.
不要让时光在黑暗中消逝
kindle the lamp of love with thy life.
以你的生命去点燃爱的灯座
。