| from "O I PAAFATI NJERII ..." | from "OH, LUCKLESS MAN ..." |
| Pjetër Budi | trans. Robert Elsie (from Albanian) |
|
....."O i paafati njerii, Gjithë ndë të keq harruom, I dhani ndë madhështii, Ndë mkat pshtiellë e ngatëruom; Ndo pak jee, ndo j rii, Përse s'shtie të kuituom, I vobeg ndo zotënii, N ceije iee kriiiuom? Balte e dheu cë zii, E io ari cë kulluom, As engjiishi cë tii, Ndo guri cë paaçmuom; Kaha të vien n dore tyy, Mbë të madh me u levduom, Ndë sqime e ndë madhështii, Tinëzot me kundrështuom? Lavdinë tand të levduom, Ti pa vene ree vetë, Ame cote idhënuom, Kuur leve mbë këtë jetë, Aty s'prune begatii, As vistaar të levduom, As urtë a diekëqii, As gurë të paaçmuom; Aty s'prune madhështii, As dinje me ligjëruom, As vertyt as trimënii, As vetiu me ndimuom; Aty s'prune zotënii, Kual të bukur as të çpeitë, As dinje gjak e gjeni, As të mirëtë as të keqtë Po leve gjithë mëndryem, Ame n cote idhënuom, Tue qaam mallënjyem, Me një zaa të helmuom ..." |
.....Oh, hapless, luckless man Forever lost in evil, Given over to conceit, and Dazed, in sin enveloped. Be you young or be you old, Be you lord or be you servant, Why can't you see and fathom The mire that you're made of? You're black soil and you're mud And not of gold a-sparkling, You're not sprung from the angels Nor carved of cherished jewels. Whence does your strength derive In vanity to revel, The good Lord, to oppose him In all his glorious splendour? Your own renown alone You beheld and acknowledged, When born into this world, Forsaken by your mother. With you appeared no wealth, No riches, lavish treasures, No wisdom knavish cunning, No values, precious gemstones. With you appeared no greatness, You had no gift for speaking, No courage and no virtue And nothing to assist you. With you appeared no bearing, No swift and handsome horses, No bloodline and no family No good you've brought or evil. For you were birthed defiled, Forsaken by your mother, And in a venomed clamour You cried out in your longing. |
Trans. Copyright © Robert Elsie 1995.