Yugen Blakrok 
Translator

on Lyrikline: 2 poems translated

from: 科萨文 to: 英文

Original

Translation

AMANZI

科萨文 | Yugen Blakrok

Isixekwana siyakhala, ngamaxesha endlala
Nangona likude, ilanga lihlab’ umhlaba
Sitsha, sirhawuka, sifela ngaphakathi
Mazwi angamalangatye ebalisa iimbali
Zesizwe sakudala, esatshona phantsi kolwandle
Kwasindwa amaphaphu kwaphel’ umoya wangaphandle

Sitsarhwa yityiwa sirhaxwa ngamanzi
Kungekho zithixo zisikhawulela ngezantsi

Salala sombathe loomaphupho wethu
Sirhon’ iimpumlo ziphuphum’ ugwebu
Okwenkomo yamanzi, siphum’ ezinzulwini sinxil’ uvuyo nothando
Milomo ivaleke vingci, ingathethi mahlazo

Sitsarhwa nje yityiwa
Siphuma kwiziziba
Xa sibuyel’ emanzini
Akukho ntetho yanimba

Ezinzulwini zamaphupha alahlekayo
Imfazwe phakathi kwengqondo nomphefumlo yetshabalalisayo
Andinabuhlobo mna nendzondo
Ngalomoya akuzange kwakhiwa
Ngceba zawo zihlaba nditsho neenyawo zentsimbi
Zehlisa zithoba nonesona isibindi
Nozithembe ngamandla ezandla,
phantsi khilikiqi

Ayatsarha amanzi
Nalomphefumlo ndiwuphathisiweyo inga angazazi
Masilile iinyembezi zetyiwa namanzi
Mhlawumbi nalomhlaba udiniwe kukurhaxwa ligazi

© Yugen Blakrok
Audio production: Haus für Poesie, 2019

Water

英文

The little village cries in times of famine

And even though the sun seems far away, it pierces the earth

We scorch and burn, dying inside

Flaming voices retelling stories

Of an old nation that sunk under the sea

When lungs got heavy and the air from the outside escaped 


Choking on salt

Drowning in the water

There were no gods coming up

To greet us from the bottom


We slept, blanketed by our dreams

Snoring as though foam cane bubbling out our nostrils

Like the sea cow, coming out of the deep, drunk on joy and love

Mouths closed shut, to speak not in shame


Choking on salt

Coming out the deep

When we return to the water

It speaks not of compassion 


In the center of lost dreams 

The war between mind and body is one that destroys 

I nurse no affinity for hate

For that is a spirit with which one can build nothing 

Its shards pierce through iron feet

And humble the most courageous 

Even those who pride themselves on physical strength, find themselves on the ground


Water drowns

May the spirit that I have been granted come to know itself

May we cry tears of salt and water

Perhaps the earth is tired of being drowned in blood

Translated by Yugen Blakrok

IXESHA

科萨文 | Yugen Blakrok

Ixesha alilibali, lihlala litheth’ intwenye
Yinene ke leyo engenakuphikiswa ‘mntu 
Sizalwa siziphinde, sizala sizolula
‘de sinyamalal’ oku kwelanga lizimele ngelifu 
Sitsala ubunzima, sithyala sikhala ngomphefumlo
Sikhangel’ ukukhanya nasezinzulwini zobusuku
Yibalixesha ungalibali, uhlal’ uyazi eyona nene
Ungaqengqeleka ungaqhawuka
Kuchitheke neezonyembezi
Kodw’ ekuzithobeni uyawuvuka uzakhe okokutsha

© Yugen Blakrok
Audio production: Haus für Poesie, 2019

Time

英文

Time does not forget, it always says the same thing
That is a truth that no one can dispute
We are born to multiply, give birth and extend ourselves
Until we disappear like the sun, hiding behind a cloud
Dragging heavy burdens, we push and cry in spirit
Looking for light even in the depths of the night
Be as Time and never forget, always know the ultimate truth
You may tumble, you may break, those tears may even spill
But in humbling yourself, you will rise and build yourself anew

Translated by Yugen Blakrok