Shah Latif `s Poetry (Translated In Verse By: Elsa Kazi) Kamod-XIV (Love-dependent)

1
You noble are, I humble amthe seat of demerits am I-Seeing your queens, O king, your eyeturn not away from fisher-folk.
2
You noble are, I humble amscores of defects abide with me-When heaps of smelling fish you see,turn not away from fisher-folk.
3
You are king, master of the landand I sell fish, poor fisher-maid,Do not forsake me, for't is saidthat I, oh king, belong to thee.
4
Those who do feed on smelling fish,and fish is all their property-The king, the noble king, O see!with them relationship has made-
5
The basket full of smelling fish,and all the loaded herring-trays-Fishers, whoses touch avoided is and such unpleasantness conveysThe king strands in their thatch alwaysand gently holds converse with them!
II
6
Now she longer catches fish,nor cuts, cooks, cures as formerly;She neither holds the scales and weight,not fish-net in her hands we see-Now to the court-modes cleaveth she,such as befits a kingly house!
7
Her hands and feet, her face and formno more of fisher-maid remind-As there's a chief-string in the luteshe's queen of all the queens combined;From the beginning all her wayswere queenly, noble and refined,The king perceived it and did bindthe regal bracelet on her wrist!
8
Fie upon maids of princely castewho walk stiff-necked, so haughtily-Praise to the daughter of the lake,her true love to the king gave she...Out of all royal ladies, he,the pearl bestowed on fisher-maid.
III
9
Court-ladies now adorn themselves,to win king back with beauty spells-But king midst fisher people dwells,within his hand the fishing-net!
10
The fishing-net in hands of king,and fisher-maid did rudder sway!Upon the lake all yesterdayfish-hunting gay was going on!-
11
"On deep, clear waters of the lake,with my beloved now I sail,Of my desires none did fail,all are fulfilled, none went astray."
12
Upon the waters transparent,along the banks float lotus-flowers,And all the lake rich fragrance showersas sweet as musk when spring-winds blow.
IV
13
Credit of raising fisher-maidBelongs to Tamachi,He took her in his carriage, anda human-being heMade out of her,...in Keenjhar, see!All say this is the truth.
14
Of those before the 'Jam' was bornthe fish-maid nothing knows,They don't attend ceremonies,go not to weddings, nor to shows,What hath lake-life to do with those?they only know the head, the king.
15
...None gave king birth, to no one birthgave He-He's generous,...alone-The fisher women old and young,as His relations He doth own;"He is not born, He gives no birth"-blance unique, to change unknownTamachi's high eternal throne,so great and oh, so glorious is!

No comments:

Post a Comment