Poems: Chinese and Russian Romani-

Poems Found in Translation: “Anonymous: South of the Walls We Fought (From Chinese)” plus 1 more

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Anonymous: South of the Walls We Fought (From Chinese) Posted: 20 Oct 2016 12:13 PM PDT South of the Walls We Fought Anonymous (Han-era) Translated by A.Z. Foreman "South of the wall we fought　 North of the city we died　 Dead in the wastes unburied for crows to eat — we rot　 Call to the crows for us　 Say — cry for these strangers brave and true　 Dead in the wastes to go unburied　 Their rotting flesh has no escape from you" ã€€ The water is deep 　roiling and moiling The reeds in darkness　 spread and sway  Here fearless horsemen　 fought to the death Their weary mounts　 still pace and neigh  "They've built guardposts at the bridge　 Now the people can't go north　 And the people can't go south　 We want to be loyal — but how? ã€€ How can we harvest the grain　how can our master eat?  We hoped to be loyal subjects　but what can we do now?"  "I think of you — my faithful subjects　 My faithful men — how could I not?　 At dawn — you set off to attack　 Night fell — you never came back"　 The Original, with transcription of Late Han pronunciation: 戰城南　　　　　tÉ•anh dÊ‘eÅ‹ nǝm  死郭北　　　　　siɁ kuÉ‘k pÉ™k 野死不葬烏可食　jaɁ siɁ pu tsÉ‘Å‹h Ɂɑ kÊ°É‘iɁ Ê‘iǝk 為我謂烏　　　　wÉ‘ih Å‹É‘iɁ wǝs Ɂɑ 且為客豪　　　　tsÊ°iaɁ wÉ‘ih kÊ°ak gÉ‘u 野死諒不葬　　　jaɁ siɁ liÉ‘Å‹h puh tsÉ‘Å‹h 腐肉安能去子逃　puoɁ ɲuk Ɂɑn nəŋ kÊ°iÉ‘h tsiÉ™h dÉ‘u 水深激激　　　　ɕuiɁ É•im kǝk kǝk 蒲葦冥冥　　　　bÉ‘ wuiɁ meÅ‹ meÅ‹ 梟騎戰鬥死　　　keu giÉ‘ih tÉ•anh toh siɁ 駑馬裴回鳴　　　nÉ‘ maɁ pui É£uÉ™i mieÅ‹ 梁築室　　　　　liÉ‘Å‹ ʈuk É•it  何以南　　　　　gÉ‘i jəɁ nÉ™m  何以北　　　　　gÉ‘i jǝɁ pǝk 禾黍而穫君何食　guÉ‘i ɕɑɁ ɲə É£uÉ‘k kun gÉ‘i Ê‘iǝk 願為忠臣安可得　ŋionh wÉ‘ih ʈuÅ‹ gin Ɂɑn kÊ°É‘iɁ tÉ™k 思子良臣　　　　siÉ™ tsiÉ™h liÉ‘Å‹ gin 良臣誠可思　　　liÉ‘Å‹ gin dÊ‘eÅ‹ kÊ°É‘iɁ siÉ™ 朝行出攻　　　　ʈɑu gÉ‘Å‹ tÉ•Ê°us koÅ‹ 莫不夜歸　　　　mÉ‘k pu jas kui

Lera Yanysheva: On Her Own (From Russian Romani) Posted: 20 Oct 2016 03:57 AM PDT On Her Own By Lera Yanysheva Translated by A.Z. Foreman I sit at home and on my own. I'd hoped to start a family. The men said I was quite a lady But years have had their way with me. My little sisters are still young. My baby brother is a kid. My mother has been dead for years. My father is an invalid. God, what am I supposed to do?  I can't just leave them on their own. Who else will put bread on the table? Who else can work? It's me alone. I did have men propose to me. My father wouldn't let me though — "I'm begging you: stay for the children. We'll end up starving if you go." The tears keep running down like water, A fire has burned my heart clean through. I'm no young woman anymore. My darling, lover, where are you? It's pointless. I can't be with you When I have got this family. And I have got to think of them. The household has no head but me. It's awful but sometimes I think of  Running off with a gadjo man! You girls are raising your own girls now And I'm stuck at a market-stand. Here men all look at me with pity And mutter "goddamn tragedy" And my black hair begins to whiten. Here I am getting...elderly. The tears keep running hot as water Oh God! What could I do but give.... I'm old now, after what I've lived through,  But never had a life to live.  The Original: Екхджины Лера Янышева Бэшав дро кхэр мэ екхджины     Мэ палором ґара камава. Сарэ ракирнас: мэ раны Нэ о бэрша мирэ прастана. Сы мандэ тыкнорэ пхэня И мандэ пшал сы набаро. О дай мири ґара мэя, Э дад пхуро сы насвало. Со ж мангэ Дэвла тэ кэрав? Семьятыр тэ уджяв нашты. Янава мэ кхэрэ тэ хав. Мэ екхджины кэрав буты. Рома явнэ кэ мэ сватэнца. На отмэктя ман дад миро: «Мангава тут мэ чяворэнца, Амэнгэ битыро пхаро». Ясва прастана сыр паны, Ягаса о ило хачёл. И мэ ґара на сом тэрны. Кай, кайжэ ту, миро лачё? Да, палэ тутэ мэ на джява, Ведь мандэ семица бари. И палэ лэн мэ думинава, Ведь мэ дро семья хуланы. Чяялэ, ладжяво признаться, Гаджеса мэ бы унастём! Сарэ чяя барэ чявэнца А мэ про тарго ходиндём. Сарэ рома пэ ман дыкхэна, Пхэнэн, со мэ бибахталы. Мирэ калэ бала парнёна, Тэ и кана мэ пхураны. Ясва прастана сыр паны. О Дэвла! Семья захая! И мэ дыкхав, со мэ пхури. О джиипэн захасия! Jekhdžinî Lera Janîševa BeÅ¡av dro kher me jekhdžinî, Me palorom ghara kamáva. Sare rakírnas me ranî, Ne o berÅ¡a mire prastána. Sî mánde tîknoré phenja I mánde pÅ¡al sî nabaro. O daj miri ghara meja. E dad phuro sî nasvalo. So ž mánge Dévla te kerav? Sjemjátîr te udžav naÅ¡tî. Janáva me khere te xav. Me jekhdžinî kerav butî. Roma javne ke me svaténca. Na otmektja man dad miro: "Mangáva tut me čavorénca, Aménge bitîró pharo." Jasva prastána sîr panî, Jagása o ilo xačol. I me ghara na som ternî. Kaj, kaj že tu, miro lačo? Da, pále túte me na džáva, Vjedj mánde sjémjica bari. I pále len me dumináva, Vjedj me dro sjémja xulanî. ÄŒajále, ladžavo priznátsa, Gadžésa me bî unastjom. Sare čaja bare čavénca, A me pro tárgo xodindjom. Sare roma pe man dîkhéna, Phenen, so me bibaxtalî. Mire kale bala parnjóna, Te i kana me phuranî. Jasva prastána sîr panî. O, Dévla! Sjémja zaxaja! I me dîkháv, so me phuri. O džiipen zaxasija!