Translation of Five Sonnets
No 1
Nothing there was in existence except time
In leaves and flowers and in green views of nature
In blue-water of female gardener, on hill tops—
Time, glamorous and fragrant, spread out.
Two pairs of broken hands were then silent
Two pairs of branches were then swaying
Two pairs of steadfast eyes grew tearful
Today, the ascetic grove will as if break into divine musing!
Then there was a tidal surge with crushes of thunder without cloud
Only lighting flashed in two bodies;
Man will be defeated in creation-fight very soon
Whether they will avail themselves of the life-boat, the blue Shampan!
After violent storm perfect wedding occurs
One’s heart then buys the heart of another.
2
Whose deception with whom, whose with whom
You are duping yourself, it is only with yourself
Who is acquainted with whom, whose with whom
You are only acquainted with yourself
You don’t know, don’t listen, and still go on cheating
Forbidden to accept this word, accept this word
Be water or be fish whatever countenance you put on
Forbidden to accept this word, to accept this.
Forest-dwelling woman turns into a forest ascetic
She has no room at home; her place is in the forest
It is fatal on her part that she totally lacks in worldly artifices
She has no room at home; rather forest is her dwelling place.
Yet deception is all beautiful!
The shriveled up stream possesses a sanctified heart.
3
Afterwards two pairs of eyes will lower their looks
After continuous gazing, nobody will glance anymore
The pair of feet will as if get halted, none will move forward
As king Asoka’s dual views whose memory and existence is of no use.
Had someone a match with anyone’s
Exchange of glances, knowing each other and deep familiarity
Possibly mind will not be able to recall these
Only from time to time the river water will flow afar.
Enveloping the mirror of the sky a pair of shades
Will strike a fiery oath with eyes full of air and water
The chariot of Matali on the edge of shady forest
A pure shady-form identical to the son of Jayanta.
People do not know the day of their union
People only repay the debt of their relation.
4
Coming to terms this way, right in this way
Mutual bonding of a man with another life
Attachment of a man with another man
Thus footwear will move ahead and back through procession.
Man is on the verge of gaining success, but without triumph
Man will only slip away, will be slipping thus
Lust-fury-malice-hatred with maddening partying
Broken bridges along the roads yet occurs ferrying across
Someday fighting will take place in the forest
Between human children and lion-cubs
Calculation of many things will be done
The victor will not be able to enjoy the pride of victory.
No undisputed victory, no victor there is
Victors are sometimes defeated; at times the defeated will win.
5
However strenuous effort has a value
Some are guided by destiny, guided by only destiny
At this some are not satisfied, since nature
Nurtures fire of self-rebellion in heart.
Then activities start, outstretching arms
Move forward groping into soil and rocks
Accumulated latent crops in the womb of water
Are trapped in the net of works, then misfortune is overcome.
Gradually, step by step in the process of conflicts
All men are bestowed with victory,
The diligent and dutiful that are nameless and tribe less
Again apprehend the matter of secret knowledge.
Humans have put on this ring of knowledge;
Without hard toil a huge wealth is really a matter of theft.
Gazi Abdulla-hel Baqui is a poet, translator, researcher and an educator.
খুলনা গেজেট/এমএম
