ed è in vendita qui. A me è arrivato come stampa non raccomandata, chi lo vuole un libro? - in pochi gg con poca spesa.
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another section of my translation, from the German translation, of the 17th-century Kurdish national epic "Mem and Zin" by Ahmet Xani.
The two lovers have died and been buried. The evil watchman cum vizier Bekir, whose plotting led to their deaths, has been killed by Mem's friend and gets buried between the lovers. The colocynth is a bitter, poisonous plant. I particularly like verse 2403.
Mitch Cohen
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Chapter title:
Each plant has its own odor
Each plant has its own odor
2391
The wisdom of the Highest has revealed to us
That Mem and Zîn arrived in the Eternal Palace.
The wisdom of the Highest has revealed to us
That Mem and Zîn arrived in the Eternal Palace.
2392
Their being and their character remained the same,
And there was nothing ever altered in their nature.
Their being and their character remained the same,
And there was nothing ever altered in their nature.
2393
It came to pass that on the grave of Mem and Zîn
There sprouted seeds of love, and soon the grave was verdant.
It came to pass that on the grave of Mem and Zîn
There sprouted seeds of love, and soon the grave was verdant.
2394
Two lofty trees grew straight and proud out of this ground
And rose, exhilarated, reaching for the heavens.
Two lofty trees grew straight and proud out of this ground
And rose, exhilarated, reaching for the heavens.
2395
The one a cypress and the other one a pine,
They both were fresh and delicate, their shade refreshing.
The one a cypress and the other one a pine,
They both were fresh and delicate, their shade refreshing.
2396
Their boughs, like loving arms, did tenderly entwine;
Their trunks were strong and straight, but tilted toward each other.
Their boughs, like loving arms, did tenderly entwine;
Their trunks were strong and straight, but tilted toward each other.
2397
But from the grave of evil Bekir grew one, too,
And this one looked much like a sour Saint Lucie cherry.
But from the grave of evil Bekir grew one, too,
And this one looked much like a sour Saint Lucie cherry.
2398
Now see! This tree was twisted, disharmonious,
And, like the buried man, was full of thorns and prickles.
Now see! This tree was twisted, disharmonious,
And, like the buried man, was full of thorns and prickles.
2399
It crowded both the other trees and strove for height,
Preventing them, in death as well as life, from union.
It crowded both the other trees and strove for height,
Preventing them, in death as well as life, from union.
2400
It couldn’t stand in tranquil calm or grow up straight,
But kept on acting as the others’ adversary.
It couldn’t stand in tranquil calm or grow up straight,
But kept on acting as the others’ adversary.
2401
It skulked and crept up to the lovers once again.
It twined around and choked the trees it took for rivals.
It skulked and crept up to the lovers once again.
It twined around and choked the trees it took for rivals.
2402
And with its clinging roots and branches, it entwined
And fettered once again the trees that had been lovers.
And with its clinging roots and branches, it entwined
And fettered once again the trees that had been lovers.
2403
How can a man who’s rotten to the very core
Wash off his nature like mere smudges from a surface?
How can a man who’s rotten to the very core
Wash off his nature like mere smudges from a surface?
2404
If you grow colocynths for all of forty years,
And douse the fields a hundred times with sweetest honey,
If you grow colocynths for all of forty years,
And douse the fields a hundred times with sweetest honey,
2405
And pamper them with sunlight and with tempered warmth
And make a point of using rosewater to spray them,
And pamper them with sunlight and with tempered warmth
And make a point of using rosewater to spray them,
2406
And if you cultivate and daily care for them,
And never cease to irrigate with sugar water,
And if you cultivate and daily care for them,
And never cease to irrigate with sugar water,
2407
No matter how much care and love you give to them,
They’ll never show you gratitude by yielding melons.
No matter how much care and love you give to them,
They’ll never show you gratitude by yielding melons.
2408
Don’t fool yourself that when the colocynth is ripe
You’ll harvest fruits whose taste is sweet; they will be bitter.
Don’t fool yourself that when the colocynth is ripe
You’ll harvest fruits whose taste is sweet; they will be bitter.
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