More from Lalla "A fool carpenter" [transcreations]
My boat I tow with a rope whose threads look dubious
O can't the Lord heed my prayer & impel me o'er?
like water in cups of unfired clay I'm tenuous
I but hope to God I can make it yon to the shore
A fine bow with a rush-sprig for its arrow!
a fool carpenter won the bid to build a chateau!
an unlocked shop smack in the midst of a busy mall
unbaptised body Jeez! how'd I get to be so?
I've no idea from where I came nor how
I cannot say toward where I go at death
if I were to grasp the end & gain the truth --
else everything is nothing but empty breath
I've seen an erudite scholar famished & perishing
seen a withered leaf drop down in the wintry breeze
I've seen an incapable fool lambast his competent cook
still Lalla waits for the lure of the world to cease
Now I beheld the stream where water flows
now I beheld nor bridge nor bank in view
now I beheld in bloom the noble rose
now I beheld nor flower nor thorn just you
Now I beheld the little kiln ablaze
now I beheld nor smoke nor any flame
now I saw the very mother of the Pandavas
& now she were but the potter's aunt again!
A Mercedes-Benz some Gucci shades a night on the town
a little mansion with its bed of comfy down
which of these exactly will you carry away?
& which will manage to tone the dread of dying down?
[vakh #1]:
This is a second installment of verses "transcreated" from Lalla's pithy vakhs. The first was here: "Even the shadows" (which, kindly see for some bit of background info).
O can't the Lord heed my prayer & impel me o'er?
like water in cups of unfired clay I'm tenuous
I but hope to God I can make it yon to the shore
A fine bow with a rush-sprig for its arrow!
a fool carpenter won the bid to build a chateau!
an unlocked shop smack in the midst of a busy mall
unbaptised body Jeez! how'd I get to be so?
I've no idea from where I came nor how
I cannot say toward where I go at death
if I were to grasp the end & gain the truth --
else everything is nothing but empty breath
I've seen an erudite scholar famished & perishing
seen a withered leaf drop down in the wintry breeze
I've seen an incapable fool lambast his competent cook
still Lalla waits for the lure of the world to cease
Now I beheld the stream where water flows
now I beheld nor bridge nor bank in view
now I beheld in bloom the noble rose
now I beheld nor flower nor thorn just you
Now I beheld the little kiln ablaze
now I beheld nor smoke nor any flame
now I saw the very mother of the Pandavas
& now she were but the potter's aunt again!
A Mercedes-Benz some Gucci shades a night on the town
a little mansion with its bed of comfy down
which of these exactly will you carry away?
& which will manage to tone the dread of dying down?
[vakh #1]:
Ami pana so'dras nAvi ches lamAn[vakh #4]:
Kati bozi Day myon meyti diyi tAr
Ameyn tAkeyn poniy zan shemAn
Zuv chum bramAn gara gatshaha.
hacivi haa'rinji pyatsuv kaan gom[vakh #8]:
abahak chaan pyom yath raazdhaana
alanjz bhag bazaras kuluph rous vaan gom
tirith rous paan goam kus maali zaana
aayas kami dishi ta kami vate[vakh #9]:
Gatsha kami deyshi kava zaana vath;
antidaay lagimay tate,
Chanis phookas kanh ti no sath.
gaattulah akh vuchum bwachi suu'ty maraan[vakh 10]:
Pan zan haraan Pohani vaava laah
Neyshibodh akh vuchum vaazas maaraan
Tana Lalla bha praaraan tseyneym-na praah.
da'mi dithu'm nad vahavu'ni[vakh 11]:
da'mi dyuthum suum na'th tar
da'mi dithu'm thr fuwalwani
da'mi dyuthum gul na'th khaar
da'mii dhitthu'm ga'j dazu'vu'nii[vakh #12]:
da'mii dyuthum dh'ha na'th naar
da'mii dhitthu'm Pandavan hu'unz ma'ji
da'mii dhitthu'm kraji mass
tsAmar cha'tu'r rath siihAsan
aahlad nAtiya-ras tuula-paryankh,
KyAh mAnith yeti sthir Aswani?
Kawa zana kAsiy maranann shaenkh
This is a second installment of verses "transcreated" from Lalla's pithy vakhs. The first was here: "Even the shadows" (which, kindly see for some bit of background info).
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