Translation of Poetry

Presented to: Dr. Qabal Khan

Presented by: Atif Chauhdary

What is Translation

Translation is the transmittal of written text from one language into another. Although the terms translation and interpretation are often used interchangeably, by strict definition, translation Refers to the written language, and interpretation to the spoken word. Translation is the action of interpretation of the meaning of a text, and subsequent production of an equivalent text, also called a translation, that communicates the same message in another language. The text to be translated is called the source text, and the language it is to be translated into is called the target language

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Translation Studies examines the art and craft of translation, i.e., what is translated, how it is translated, how it is received in the receptor language, and especially what is lost in the process of translation.

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Translation erases the borders between disciplines.

Translation revitalizes the study of literature and the humanities. 

All acts of interpretation and communication are acts of translation

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Translation guarantees the survival of our civilization in a globalized world with its digital and electronic innovations. The survival will depend on how well we apply the methods of translation to initiate and promote inter-cultural communication.

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Translation Studies approaches literature from a new and dynamic perspective that changes the way we view literature, cultures, and each other.

Translation charts innovative ways to study the reading of verbal, visual, and musical texts.

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Translation cultivates associative thinking -- the foundation of creativity.

Translation of Poetry

Poetry is one of the major branches of literature like Novel, Drama Writing, Short Stories, Literary articles, Folk tale and many others

What makes the difference?

Non-Literary and Literary Translation

Literary text may be translated differently than non- literary.

Difference of Intention Literary texts belong to the world of

imagination. Non-literary texts belong to the facts.

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Literary texts are about persons and non- literary ones are about objects

Both kinds require knowledge of two languages and more than two languages.

Why more than two?

Translation of Poetry

Translation of literature is essential because, literature is created for all ages and races

Knowledge of different thinking is shared

But this type of translation is very difficult task

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Translation of Poetry

A poet can or must create poetry in the same language in which he cries.

(Book“ Mohabbat Jeet Hoti Hai” by Atif Chauhdary)

But various persons created poetry in non-native languages.

Can they get the same status that is enjoyed by the native poet?

Translation of Poetry

But translation of poetry is also an art and is very essential because of;

Enhancing knowledge Knowing history Emotions Richness of ideas For brainwashing. ( I. Cul)

Barriers for a Poetic Translator

Maximum knowledge of poetry Knowledge of SL and TL Metaphor Similes Meter Ornamental Language

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Knowledge of Culture History Emotions and needs of people Synonyms of S.L and T.L Use Idioms and Proverbs These hurdles or abilities determine

the rank of a translator.

Some Pieces of poetic Translation

Sham-e-firaq aab na pooch, aai aur aa ke Tul gaidil tha ke phir bhehal gaya, jaaN thee ke phir sanbhal gai

bazm-e-Khayal maiN tere husn ki shama jal gaidard ka chaand bujh gaya, hijr ki raat Dhal gai

jab tujhey yaad kar liya subha mehak mehak uTheejab tera ghum jaga liya raat machal machal gai

dil se to her muamla kar ke chale thai saaf humkehney maiN onkey samney baat badal badal gai

aaKhir-e-shab ke humsafar "faiz" najaney kya hoeyreh gai kis jaga saba, subha kidhar nikal gai

Continued Ask no more (about) the night of separation; it came, and

passedThe heart got diverted again; life found its feet again

in the salon of (my) thoughts, the candle of your beauty was lightedthe moon-of-pain extinguished itself, the night of separation slipped away

whenever you were remembered, the mornings became fragrantwhen your pain was awakened, the nights grew restless

in the heart i had sorted out all the issues before setting out(however) while recounting before her, (my) words changed themselves

who knows where the fellow-travellers of the end-of-the-night went, Faiz?at which spot did the breeze get left behind? and which way did the dawn walk off?

Faiz chashm-e-num, jaan-e-shooreeda kafi nahi

tohmat-e-ishq poosheeda kafi nahiaaj bazaar maiN paa_bajolaaN chaloo

dast afshaaN chalo, mast-o-raqsaaN chalooKhak bar_sir chalo, Khoon bada_maaN chalooraah takta hai sab shehr-e-jaanaN chaloo

hakim-e-shehar bhi, majma-e-aam bhiteer-e-ilzam bhi, saang-e-dushnaam bhisubh-e-nashaad bhi, rooz-e-nakaam bhiinka dum_saaz apney siva kaun haishehr-e-jaanaaN maiN aab ba_safa kaun hai?dast-e-qatil ke shaayaaN raha kaun hai?

raKht-e-dil bandh lo, dil_figarooN chaloophir hum he qatal ho aaiN, yarooN chaloo

English Translation

A wet eye, a shaken life is not enough,The accusation of a hidden love is not enough,With feet in chains, Let us go in public today.

Let us go with palms exposed, with a song and dance,with dirt in our hair, with blood on our chest,Let us go while the entire city of lovers watches.

For the warden of the city, and the crowd of the commoners,And the arrows of accusation, and the stones of abuse,And the glum morning, and the failing day,Who is there to give them life except us?Who is ready in this city except us?Who is honorable enough for the killer’s hand except us?

Pack up your belongings O Injured heart ones!Let us go friends and get killed once again.- Faiz Ahmed Faiz, 1959 (Lahore Jail)

Translation of a Verse by different Translators

Raat yoo.N dil mai.N teri khooii hoi yaad aaijaisey veeraney mai.N chupkey se bahar aajaeyjaisey sehraooN mai.N hooley se chaley baad-e-naseemjaisey beemar ko bay_vajah qarar aajaey

Translation by Agha Shahid Ali

At night my lost memory of you returnedand I was like the empty field where springtime,without being noticed, is bringing flowers;I was like the desert over whichthe breeze moves gently, with great care;I was like the dying patientwho, for no reason, smiles.

Translation by Sarvat Rahman

Last night, your long-lost memory came back to me as thoughSpring stealthily should come to a forsaken wildernessA gentle breeze its fragrance over burning deserts blowOr, all at once be soothed somehow the sick became relaxed.

Translation by Vikram Seth

Last night your faded memory came to meAs in the wilderness spring comes quietly,As, slowly, in the desert, moves the breeze,As, to a sick man, without cause, comes peace

Taj Mahal by Sahir

The Taj, mayhap, to you may seem, a mark of love supremeYou may hold this beauteous vale in great esteem;Yet, my love, meet me hence at some other place!

How odd for the poor folk to frequent royal resorts;‘Tis strange that the amorous souls should tread the regal pathsTrodden once by mighty kings and their proud consorts.Behind the facade of love my dear, you had better seen,The marks of imperial might that herein lie screen’dYou who take delight in tombs of kings deceased,Should have seen the hutments dark where you and I did wean.Countless men in this world must have loved and gone,Who would say their loves weren’t truthful or strong?But in the name of their loves, no memorial is raisedFor they too, like you and me, belonged to the common throng.

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These structures and sepulchers, these ramparts and forts,These relics of the mighty dead are, in fact, no moreThan the cancerous tumors on the face of earth,Fattened on our ancestor’s very blood and bones.They too must have loved, my love, whose hands had made,This marble monument, nicely chiseled and shapedBut their dear ones lived and died, unhonoured, unknown,None burnt even a taper on their lowly graves.

This bank of Jamuna, this edifice, these groves and lawns,These carved walls and doors, arches and alcoves,An emperor on the strength of wealth, Has played with us a cruel joke.Meet me hence, my love, at some other place.

Translate the Verse

"In barishon se dosti achi nahi faraz,

Kacha tera makan hai kuch tou khayal kar"

" Friendship with these rains is not good Faraz,How cheap is your home behave yourself."

Example of Poor Translation

Still, I love you but when fragrance leave the flower;

It never remains in desire.

Farhat Abbas Shah

English to Urdu Translation

Ode to the West Wind O wild west wind, though breath of autumn beings,

Thou, from whose unseen presence the leaves dead Are driven, like ghosts from an enchanter fleeing,

Yellow, and black, and pale, and hectic red, Pestilence-stricken multitudes: O thou, Who chariotest to their dark wintry bed

The winged seeds, where they lie cold and low, Each like a corpse within its grave, until

    TARAANA-E-KHIZAAN

Yak~laKHt badalti huwi 'aalam ka samaaN chal          Ik aag lagaati huwi larzaaN o tapaaN chal          Jaati huwi duniya-e-chaman ki nigaraaN chal          Aati huwi raNgeeniyoN se jalwa~fishaaN chal

            Ai baad-e-KHizaaN, baad-e-KHizaaN, baad-e-KHizaaN chal                                             Ai baad-e-KHizaaN chal

Unique Lines by Keats

"Beauty is truth, truth beauty,--that is allYe know on earth, and all ye need to know."

Translation in Punjabi

Ishq lohara taza rehnda

Pawain darri ho jai chitti

Conclusion

So, contrary to some critics' argument that poetry "loses" in translation or poetry is "untranslatable", there are others with the opposite standpoint that it can be preserved, illustrated and illuminated if a good job is done, because poetry is in large part found again and re-painted by the translator. Of course, many of the original poetical touches of color cannot be transposed and "they must be arranged; yet these new arrangements may be even more luminous than the original." Thus a good translation discovers the "dynamics" of poetry, if not necessarily its "mechanics"

Thank you for your attention Questions???????????????