TRANSLATIONS
A COMMAND OF THE AGE
(Korparancs)
Man, of stardust are you made,
collect your light, radiate.
or
A COMMAND OF THE AGE
Of stardust are you made, man:
gather your light if you can.
A DIALOGUE
(Párbeszéd)
What are you planning in the extra-galactic nebula
of your cerebral convolutions, oh Creator?
- Man: a torso in perfection,
you can count five thousand stars
in a sleepless night.
Your hour is coming,
it will set existential time
to match physical time.
Outside space, outside time
there's no plane ruled by perspectives.
Surveyors choose their sides,
deep-sea explorers pick out fish-eye lenses,
nuclear researchers count half-periods,
astronomers name dynamic times -
You play the light-organ of universe,
all peoples are chosen these days,
yet more than one saviour is needed.
ON THE DAY OF EARTH
(A Föld napján)
In the polygon of cracked soil
a satellite photo shows:
strangled checkmate on a chessboard,
the king led captive,
Laocoon of an elder.
The fruit-tree with its roots under
God knows how many layers of soil
is near to its end, so lean,
good only for gathering dust,
nuthatches peel its bark
and magpies beak for grubs,
woodpeckers rattle.
Each blow of axe strikes flames
- incurable mutilation.
And while I'm watching the glissandos of kites,
A fir tree cuts hole in the immense blue
or a lightning: an air-surface rocket,
the ozone hole in the stratosphere is our glowing crown,
and the lava streams of protuberances
we await standing, like the barren elder trees.
I TAKE A BEARING
(Tájolás)
Point of departure: ME
and the immovable
visible world
which is unaware of itself
and doesn't sense its vastness.
Here on the back of the hill I spy
the landscape from a high-stand -
the acute angle of the sky-
scraping church spire gleams,
(time ticks for everyone
in the big clock's zone)
a flock of doves heaves a humped roof,
I see the line of poplars on the riverside,
there a sweep-pole well of clouds
- co-ordinates of a well-known sight.
A stone rolled aside at a crossroad,
the forest sings in birds' tongue,
fruits in wild trees turn red,
whatever drops flings itself on shadows.
A mud pack after the rain,
thistles stick like velcros,
harping drops on spanned spider webs
give the clearest clang: silence.
RINGS
(Gyűrűk)
Depth and height glance back
from water's mirror -
an infinite of concentric rings,
well chain wound up,
annual rings climb the tree
(as if shackles rattled)
knit one, purl one,
a secret linked to knowledge
with a conjurer's ring -
Prometheus' iron band,
wise Salomon's seal,
Corvin's shining ring
in a blazon raven's beak,
blessing orbi et urbi by
the vicar on earth with a fisher's ring,
sea-betrothing ring
with pearls, on our fingers of
a golden glitter: Sun, Moon.
A LETTER FROM ASIA
(Levél Ázsiából)
(To evoke Kőrösi Csoma)
It is within a
meteor-stone's throw,
in another time zone,
where volcanoes were:
the first home of Magyars.
Sails of light
on soft waters, a vast sky
- bulging dome of fire,
here net, fish and death have been
synonymous for long.
Austere ramblers,
Tibet's holy summits
speaking twice-seven tongues,
there's no rest of homeland,
nostalgia is gravitation.
A tropical fever,
- a shadow play on a fire wall,
birthplace - covered by a map?
He lifts his halo as greeting,
a poor forlorn Magyar".
LABELLING
(Címkézés)
Where patriots are fairly rare,
nationalists are heard to blare.
SONG OF A BELATED TROUBADOUR
(Kései trubadúr dala)
She is gorgeous,
she finds a mirror,
she is slender as a Greek vase,
ready to enchant,
her sensuous lips
praise her alone,
she twists me round her finger
as a lock of hair.
*
Beauty queen,
I offer you my
poem, separate its colours,
among a bunch of stems
it is a flower song.
A smile is playing round
the hide-and-seek dimples
of your face - sunshine.
Bend into the brackets
of my arms,
a pilot-light protected by a hand,
no darkness puts you out,
a magnified
light runs down the wall of universe.
A space curve will be the bed
for our desires.
(Translated by István Tótfalusi)
From IN QUEST OF THE ’MIRACLE STAG’:
THE POETRY OF HUNGARY (Vol. II.)
An Anthology edited by Adam Makkai, Chicago
Lajos Szigeti
(b.1940)
Born in the Transdanubian village of Szabadhídvég, Szigeti studied in Szeged and Budapest,
graduating from the University of Budapest in Hungarian and English Language and Literature
in 1964 before finding employment as a High School teacher.
A religious poet with a strong sense of history, Szigeti uses rhyme only sparingly, although he
disavows any great affinity with the post-modernists and the avant-garde. He started publishing
in 1977 but his first volume did not appear until after the collapse of Communism.
His volumes include Az ég tükrében /In The Sky's Mirror/ (1992), Vízjelek nyári égen /Water
Signs On A Summer Sky / (1996),A fény hullámverése /Light's Billows/ (2000), Hívó szó /Calling Word/ (2003).
VARIETAS DELECTAT
The Creator conducts
every variety of life
with his baton of
straight chromosomes worn off at the ends-
it's the symphony of fate
composed on the identical theme
.to be played but once
forte, calando, dolce.
(Will Wright)
SPRING
(Kikelet)
Snow flowers, violets,
the beak of a fledgling bird
break open the ice-laced arche-egg
breaking the Earth into its continents.
(Will Wright)
OVER HILL AND DALE
(Hegyen-völgyön)
The waterfall in the forest
and the brook's babbling
are a kind of fine-tuning for my nerves
my hook snares eddies instead of mermaids
the motionless running of the trees is delusion, scattered light,
a whirlwind on the squirrel's treadmill of branches' knots.
I descend in my moon-climbing boots
as a butterfly is pulled down by its giant wings,
spears of grass around my heart,
a mushroom is listening-
the tambourines of seeds in their hulls,
trailers' bass strings,
an entire orchestra, a reed fiddle, Pan's flute
plays a spring sonata.
(Michael McCartney)
AS THE PENDULUM SWINGS
(Ingamozgás)
The sun's torsion pendulum
- certainly not the celestial sphere-
is the shadow of a tree
imitating a gallows.
(Will Wright)
DOUBLE STAR
(Kettőscsillag)
The light of the full moon
is an inextinguishable lamp with subdued light,
in its court an open flame:
love, is a double star.
(Will Wright)
PERPETUAL CALENDAR
(Öröknaptár)
Every month ending in -ber is a brrrrrr-month.
September:
school children's great scare,
October:
broken twigs
ripen me like a fruit.
Cuddle up to me, dear, I am cold,
time will harvest me.
All notions roll out from the dictionary.
.November, December-
remember.
(Mike Starkweather)
THE SOUL
(Lelkiség)
The soul is
a body of light,
an eternal flame
in God's house.
(Adam Makkai)
- One poem in several languages - "A TEREMTÉS KÉNYSZERE"
translated from Hungarian into Esperanto (as the intermediary) and into other languages:
DEVIGO DE LA KREADO
(A teremtés kényszere)
Lauta petpregeto de artisto
kial sufokigis en blasfemo?
Per infinita okullenso
eternigas unu momenton.
Per milliard-lumjaroj de tie
vivas en stelnebula bildo la Dio,
lia soleco homa, spaco lin prenas-
Ni devos la kreadon finigi.
(Translated from Hungarian into Esperanto by Tibor Szabadi J./
El la hungara tradukis: Szabadi Tibor J.)
TEMPONIVELOJ
(Idősíkok)
Estonton vi povas lasi je la semo,
je la fekunda nutrogrundo,
je dolcakvo, radiko
petante cielo-benon.
La nuntempo: partum-momento
kaj mallevigas, kiel la Suno,
la realajo nur sajno
au koloralterna vizio.
La pasinteco samtempe paseo,
triumfiro, kaj misvojo,
je strikta kurbig' de voj' pusiganta
jam finita estonto.
(Translated from Hungarian into Esperanto by Tibor Szabadi J./
El la hungara tradukis: Szabadi Tibor J.)
THE DUTY OF CREATION
(A teremtés kényszere)
The loud beseeching prayer of an artist,
why does it suffocate in cursing against God?
Through an infinite cosmic lens
one moment becomes eternal.
A billion lightyears from here
God lives amongst the galaxies,
imprisoned by space, his solitude seems human-
It is we who must finish the work of creation.
(Translated into English by Jerald Veit, Milwauke, USA)
DER ZWANG DER SCHÖPFUNG
(A teremtés kényszere)
Des Künstlers energische Gebet zu seinem Gott
erstickt in einem Fluch. Warum?
Mit der Augenlinse gerichtet auf die Unendlichkeit
wird der Augenblick unvergessen in Ewigkeit.
Milliarden von Lichtjahren entfernt
in einem Sternennebelbild lebt Gott.
Menschlich seine Einsamkeit, Unendlichkeit gibt ihn nicht frei.
Die Schöpfung zu vollenden, hat unser Werk zu sein.
(Überzetzt: Fritz Caspers, Duisburg und Artner Ramona, Budapest)
DOVERE DELLA CREAZIONE
(A teremtés kényszere)
La devota preghiera ad alta voce dell' artista
perche e stata soffocata dalla bestemmia?
Per mezzo di una infinita lente d' ingrandimento
essa rende eterno il momento.
A miliardi di anni luce da qui
vive Dio, nel quadro di stelle soffocate da nubi,
la solitudine umana, lo spazio lo preme-
Dovremo noi completare la creazione.
(Italiano - Lina Gabrielli)
DEBER DE LA CREACIÓN
(A teremtés kényszere)
Plegaria en voz alta de artista
porqué se ahogó la blasfemia?
Por una infinita lente ocular
se hará eterno un momento.
A miles de aoos luz de allí
vive en una nube de estrellas el Dios,
su humana soledad, le quita el espacio-
nosotros tenemos que acabar la creación.
(Hispaña - Joan Rafols Vendrell)
DEURE DE LA CREACIÓ
(A teremtés kényszere)
Pregaria en veu alta d'artista
perque es va ofegar la blasfemia?
Per una infinita lent ocular
es fara etern un moment.
A milers d'anys llum d'alla
viu en un núvol d'estels el Déu,
la seva humana , solitud li pren espai-
nosaltres hem d'acabar la creació.
(Kataluña - Joan Rafols Vendrell)
DWANG VAN DE SCHEPPING
(A teremtés kényszere)
Een schietgebedje van een artiest zo luid
waarom wordt het in een vloek geuit?
Met een ooglens als oneindig
maakt het één moment eeuwig.
Met miljarden lichtaren daar vandaan
leeft God in een sterren nevelig bestaan
de ruimte neemt hem op in de vereenzaming-
Wij zullen moeten beeindigen de schepping.
(Holland - Magdalena Massar-Broekhuyzen)
ايوسسيغيتي
ابتهال عالي الصوت من فنان:
لماذا اختنقَ فيالتجديف؟
بواسطة عدسة غيرمتنهية
يخلد لحظة وقت واحدة .
على بعد مليار سنة ضوئيةمنهنا
في لوحة النجوم والغيوم يعيشالرب،
وحدته كالبشر ، والفضاءيأخذهبعيداً
وسيكون علينا ان ننهي الخلق
(Translated into Arabic by Wael Al-Mahdi)
Obrigação da Criação
(A teremtés kényszere)
Tão alta rogativa de artista
Por que sufocou-se em blasfêmia?
Por uma infinita lente ocular
Eterniza um momento.
Há bilhões de anos luz daqui
vivendo em uma nuvem estelar o Deus,
sua solidão humana, o espaço o toma –
Nós devemos a criação terminar.
(Do húngaro ao Esperanto traduziu: MENDONÇA, Rodrigo de Carvalho, da cidade – Brasil)
Pod przymusem tworzenia
(A teremtés kényszere)
Czemuż to w przekleństwach zanika
głos artysty, słowo, muzyka ?
Choć nastawionym w nieskończoność wzrokiem
to on uwiecznia drobnych chwil uroki.
Bóg światłem gwiezdnych mgieł się pali
w miliarda lat świetlnych oddali,
ludzko samotny, kosmos go tam trzyma,-
więc dzieła stworzenia nam dokończyć trzeba.
(Tłumaczył Konrad Sutarski)
Ħtieġa tal-Ħolquien
(A teremtés kényszere)
Talba żgħira b’leħen għoli ta’ artist
għaliex tinfaga f’dagħwa?
B’lenti infinita ta’ għajn
jiddejjem mument.
B’miljard snin id-dawl ta’ hawn,
tgħix fi sħaba kwiekeb xbiha ta’ Alla,
il-waħdieni uman, mgħannaq mill-ispazju –
Jinħtieġ li l-ħolqien intemmuh.
(El la esperanta tradukis Joseph Camilleri, Malta)
ПОВЕЛЯ НА ЕПОХАТА
(Korparancs)
От звезден прах споен,
човеко, сияй весден.
VARIETAS DELECTAT
Протрити в двата края
опнати хромозоми
са палките, ползвани от Създателя,
дирижиращ всеки вид живот,
композиран по една тема,
свирена едновременно
форте, стихващо долче -
симфония на участта.
НАД ДОЛИНА И ХЪЛМ
(Hegyen-völgyön)
За нервите ми напев изящен
са водопадът, бъбрещият ручей –
вместо русалки куката ми бързеи лови.
Май тичат дървесата – мамещ лъч разлят,
въртопът движи чекръка клонест.
В порещи луната лодки слизам,
грамадна пеперуда, от своите криле съборена,
тревисти копия сърцето ми обграждат,
една гъба се заслушва –
дайретата на семената в техните обвивки,
сякаш цял оркестър, пан флейта,
пълзящи струни, цигулки на тръстики -
свирят пролетна соната.
ДВОЙНА ЗВЕЗДА
(Kettőscsillag)
Пълнолунният свят
неугасима лампа е с подвластна светлина,
в двора му голият пламък -
обичта, е двойна звезда.
ДУШАТА
(Lelkiség)
Душата е
тяло от светлина
пламък вечен
в Божия дом
ДЪЛГЪТ НА СЪТВОРЕНИЕТО
(A teremtés kényszere)
Защо шумната молитвица на артиста
в богохулство се задушава?
През лещата на безкрайно око
мигът става вечен.
На безброй светлинни години от тук
живее образ Божи сред облак от звезди,
човешката Му същност прегръща космоса –
ние трябва сътворението да завършим.
(Превод: Маргарит Жеков)
Лайош Сигети (1940) е роден в град Сабадхидвег, следвал е в Сегед и Будапеща, завършвайки в Будапещенския университет унгарски и английски език и литература през 1964 година, преди си намери работа като университетски преподавател.
Религиозен поет със силен усет за история, Сигети използва римата само пестеливо, макар че отказва каквато и да била голяма привързаност към пост-модернистите и авангарда. Започнал е да публикува през 1977 година, но първата му книга не се появила, докато не настъпва крахът на комунизма.
Поетическото му творчество включва книгите “В небесното огледало” (1992), “Водни знамения върху лятното небе” (1996), “Вълни на Светлината” (2000) и “Призивно слово” (2003).
ПЕСНЬ О НАСТОЯЩЕМ
(Helyzetdal)
Предо мной свет
позади тень
не сгибался
но ломался ю
В пилу градусов
и минут,
и на гору поднимался
и по воде прогулялся
Животные и растения
окружили кругом,
будто я старенкий
и подручный бизон,
Теперь небо ысокое
Отель с звёздочками
где я гость
Предо мной тень
позади свет
спрятаюсь
я между строк.
ТЕОРИЯ БЫТИЯ
(Lételmélet)
Бытие людского рода
Каприз случайностей
Ошибка творителя
В добрый да злой
Момент
Coблазн
(Szédítés)
Эхо частых женских „нет”
Звучит тайным „согласием”
Прогулка в космосе
Выхожу в звёздное пространство
где нет вверх и вниз
гравитации и падений
И на космически гнутой божьей ладони
помещается весь, к земле прикованный
род человеческий