TRANSLATIONS FROM BAUDELAIRE 
 
CAIN ET ABEL 
 
SEED of Abel, eat, drink, sleep ! 
God shall smile complaisantly. 
Seed of Cain, in the muck-heap 
Crawl and miserably die ! 
 
Seed of Abel, thine oblation 
Sweet to Seraphim doth smell : 
Seed of Cain, shall thy damnation 
Ever find the bounds of Hell ? 
 
Race of Abel, see thy seed 
And thy cattle flourish more ! 
Race of Cain, for hunger’s need, 
Like a dog thy bowels roar. 
 
Seed of Abel, warm thy paunch 
At thy patriarchal hall ! 
Seed of Cain, on shivering haunch 
Squat in cave, despised jackal ! 
 
 
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