Poems Found In Translation: “Nizar Qabbani: "Less Beautiful" (From Arabic)” |
Posted: 07 Dec 2016 06:11 AM PST
Completely revised this translation as a result of my encounter with Stephen Frug's take on my original attempt
Less Beautiful By Nizar Qabbani Translated by A.Z. Foreman Click here to hear me recite the Arabic Whenever I see you, I despair of my verse. I only despair of my poems When I am with you. Beautiful you are...so much So that when I think about what awe you strike... I gasp for breath. As my language gasps And my lexicon gasps For breath. Deliver me from these problematics! Be less beautiful So I can recover my poetics. Be a typical woman Of kohl, perfume, pregnancy and childbirth. Be a woman Like any other, And reconcile me with my language And my tongue. The Original:
اقل جمالا
نزار قباني كلّما رأيتÙÙƒÙ... أيأس من قصائدي إنني لا أيأس٠من قصائدي إلّا Øين أكون معكÙ... جميلة انت... إلى درجة أنني Øين٠أÙكّÙر بÙرَوعتÙÙƒ...ألهَثÙ... تَلهث٠لغتي... وتَلهَث٠مÙرداتي... خلّÙصيني من هذا الإشكال كوني اقلَّ جَمالاً... Øتّا أستردَّ شاعريتي كوني امرأةً عادية تَتَكØÙ‘ÙŽÙ„ وتتعطَّر...وتØبل...وتَلÙد كوني امرأة مثلَ كلّ٠النساء Øتى أتصالØÙŽ مع لغتي ومع Ùمي. |
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