Wednesday, June 26, 2024

Prologue to Qubadi's 18th-century Kurdish epic

Pray make my mind sharp like Nezami's

With the kohl of knowledge,
brighten my eyes.

so that] the story of Shirin and Khosrow.

and Farhad,
who carved his way through the rock,
and his fate,

I compose in verse,
finer than pearls,

With the ambergris-scented perspiration of my pen.

To the lords of wisdom and faith (and)

The knowledgeable elders of Kurdistan,

Although it is said that Farsi is sugar,

Kurdish is much sweeter than Farsi.

For some reason in this cruel world

Everyone is attached to their own| language.

Of course anyone composing in any language,

And writing from any corner |of this world|,

Will beautify [their verse] like musk-scented fair brides,

With the adornments of pleasing rhetoric.

To be articulate and meaningful

And as eloquent as Jami's rhyme,

So that it is accepted by the wise,

And becomes sweeter than Molasses.

thus, I present this work in this ghoulish world

Following the verses of Nezami, complete

In the Kurdish tongue,
to be enjoyed [by the wise of Kurdistan]

Translation source and credits



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