S. R. Faruqi:

(1) Really, I am now utterly weary and sick of it all--no more hostility, please.
Prey upon my life; this much friendship is quite enough.

(2) My heart didn't feel so oppressed when the gashes were open.
I greatly regret having the gashes in my breast sewn up.

(3) Did you not hear the story even of Joseph?
Now make a wolf peace with your brothers for a while.

[The idiom gurg ashti means "hypocritical peace; false peace." Literally it means "peace of the wolf." In view of the delightful appropriateness of the phrase in the context of the legend (since Joseph's brothers told his father that Joseph had been killed by a wolf), I give a literal translation here.]

(4) Incompatibility and harshness demand only the wild air of the jungle.
No one ever saw the thorny acacia grow tall and thrive in a city.

(5) It's not only today I hide my blood tears from the public eye.
For many years have I endured the drinking of my own blood.

["To drink one's own blood" or "to drink blood" means "to accept a situation with great reluctance, and showing no resistance." Thus the idiom expresses a situation of being totally oppressed.]

(6) Is there any scoundrel--condemn him to death!--who could enjoy life away from her? From now on, it's enough for me to have been alive; I'll have nothing more to do with life.

(7) Don't be out for my blood when I say something you consider wrong.
First just set right what I said wrong.

(8) I suffered a lifetime of vexation and now I feel too oppressed to go on.
Don't you stint either--do to me all that you can.

(9) It's goodness alone that remains.
Should you ever have a life to live, never ever do evil.

(10) He bore griefs and hardships his whole youth long.
What's now left in that venerable old fellow Mir? Do end your tyrannies against him.

 

FWP:

(inspired by SRF's translation)

(1) Now I am sick of it all; don't show any more enmity!
Go ahead and finish me off-- show only this much friendship!

(2) When it had gashes, I didn't gasp so much for air.
I greatly regret having had my breast sewn up.

(3) Have you not heard the story of Joseph?
Now make somewhat of a fake peace with your brothers.

(4) Discord and harshness flourish in the jungle.
In the cities, we haven't seen a 'thorn-tree growing up'.

(5) It's not only today that I've hidden my bloody tears.
For years I've kept 'drinking my own blood'.

(6) What wretch finds life pleasant without her?
I've had enough! What's the point of my living longer?

(7) If I say something wrong, don't be out for my blood!
First correct any bad thing that I've done.

(8) Night and day i've kept tearing myself to pieces.
You too need not hold back-- now do all you can!

(9) Goodness remains-- no human being remains.
While you live, be warned-- never do evil.

(10) In his youth, he knew nothing but grief and hardship.
Now, what is left in Mir? Go easy on him.

 

Zahra Sabri:

Zahra Sabri is a special guest translator for this site.

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