Transcending Language: The Art of Poetic Translation

Hussain Sajwani : Al Farazdaq, you like? Easy, but have you ever read Dutch poetry from the golden age?

But translating Dutch poetry into Arabic with a 罗技 #G213 keyboard is akin to threading a needle with boxing gloves: a task brimming with potential yet marred by the cumbersome nature of the tool.

As I embarked on translating an Arabic poem into English, I confronted a unique challenge: capturing the essence of the original in a language vastly different from its origin. The poem, titled "?????? ?????? ???? ??????? ?? ?????? ????????" in Arabic, holds a complexity that goes beyond mere words.

My approach to translation is not just a linguistic exercise but an endeavour to bridge cultural and emotional landscapes.

I call this "The Style No One Can Copy."

The beauty of heroic couplets lies in their almost perfect equal length, crafting an exquisite balance that resonates with the original's rhythm and tone.

The poem speaks of restraint and the inherent consequences of injustice and aggression. It reflects on the human condition, power dynamics, and the subtle interplay between action and consequence. The challenge was not just in translating words but in conveying the deep philosophical undercurrents embedded within them.

In translating, I aimed to preserve the poem's integrity, ensuring that each line carried the weight of its meaning. My rendition, "Restrain them; for inequity, no moral Judge agrees..." to "When it was youth, they met face to face," was an attempt to mirror the original's profound insights and rhythmic beauty.

The process was akin to a dance, where each step had to be measured and precise yet fluid and graceful. It was about finding that delicate balance where the poem's soul in Arabic breathes freely in English.

This translation journey was both arduous and beautiful. It was a reminder that emotions and ideas transcend words in every language. The art of poetic translation is not just about converting text; it's about reimagining and reinventing, ensuring that the essence of the original is not just preserved but also celebrated in another linguistic form.

Original Poem by ????? ???????

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Translation that makes sense:

Restrain them; for inequity, no moral Judge agrees.

Small fires that burn today may tomorrow increase.

And Aggression weakens the aggressor's towering mind,

And within each person against each, her equal will find

In ignorance, patience still bites; humility also stings,

Seen by the naive as a weakness, unlike godly kings.

We spared the sons of Hind. As relatives, we implore

May time bring them back the way they were before.

Yet betrayal, its visage, Ugly and obscene,

Is uncovered for all observers to be seen.

Nothing left but animosity assumed as their disgraceful creed,

A people from whom we originate and parallel ways we heed.

Once with them in battle were, now alone we stand,

In obeying the foolish, the free will resist command.

When peace is blatantly denied, treason it is, too;

With such individuals, what good does reason do?

With a lion's force, in wrath, charging without care:

With strikes that transgress and mournfully impair,

And some people did write in injustice, their share.

Thus, after oppression, all prospects dawned,

Like the mouth of a jug, filled further beyond.

With a burst from its red depths, as a vengeful viper hissed,

And in evil, there is a getaway when clemency is dismissed.

And it awarded the people great disgrace,

When it was youth, they met face to face.

In the tapestry of poetic legends, the grandeur of Dutch and Arabic masters weaves a narrative of transcendent excellence. The likes of the Dutch Goliaths, with their profound words echoing through the canals of Amsterdam, mirror the mystique of Arabian sages whose verses dance in the desert winds. In its infinite wisdom, it's as if the universe has chosen to bestow the gift of greatness upon a select few across races and seas. This shared brilliance, a rare gem in the vast expanse of humanity, unites us in a celebration of the sublime, transcending boundaries and time. It's a testament to the universal language of beauty and truth that poets are the chosen custodians, irrespective of their origin.

#arabic #poetry