Goethe's East-West Divan, & Notes complete [English] PDF
Preview Goethe's East-West Divan, & Notes complete [English]
West-East Divan by Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe Translated by Martin Bidney Moganni Nameh Book of the Singer Twenty years I let pass by, Relishing my destined lot; Time that lent a pleasure high, As when Barmecides had wrought. Hegira North and South and West - they shake! Thrones are cracking, empires quake, To the purer East, then, fly Patriarchal air to try: Loving, drinking, songs among, I<hizer's rill will make you young. There, in what is pure and right, Generations I, with might, Urge to depth of origin Where they from the Lord would win Earthly-worded Heaven-lore; They will rack their brains no more. /VI \X1here their fathers they respected, Alien rule at length deflected, Y outhfullimits I'll embrace: Thought confined in faith-wide space; Word still worthy to be heard For it was the spoken word. Mine with shepherd-lives will mesh At oases that refresh \X1hen with caravans I wander, Coffee, shawls, and musk up yonder; Every path I'll travel down From the desert to the town. As we ride the rocky way Solace in your song will stay, Hafiz, when the leader will, High on mule-back, music-thrill Lend, that stars might wake in light While the robbers quake in fright. I'll in baths and taverns, too, Holy Hafiz, think of you If my Lovely lift her veil, Fragrant hair shake, amber-pale: Poet's lyric whispered loves Heat with sweet the houri-doves. If you envy him this joy Or would spoil it for the boy, Know that poet-words await By the paradisal gate - Softly knocking, they will sway, Asking for Eternal Day. / Blessing Pledges Tnle believers' talisman Luck will gain: carnelian. Onyx-mounted, hallowed, this Consecrated lips may kiss. Every ill it drives away, Guards you everywhere you stay If the graven word will say Allah's name, which when you heed Will be kindled love and deed. Women, specially, raised high, Talismans will edify. For an amulet divine On a paper write a sign. Gems confine in narrow frame; Here a wider space you'll claim. Souls may write with piety Longer verses and more free. Shoulder-hanging, some prefer - Making them a scapular. The plain inscription nothing more will hide; Quite self-sufficient, needing nought beside. Whatever else behind the words may lie, Candidly answer, "I, I said it - 1." Bring Abraxas? No, a ft-ight! Odd, contorted form, that some Craftsman made in madness glum, Thinking it the highest height. Do I sound a bit absurd? That's "Abraxas," perfect word! MARTIN BIDNEY A seal finis tricky to design, The highest meaning, littlest frame. But should you the essential thing divine, The word's engraved! - no guessing how it came. 4. Freethought Let me get my saddle, don't need rest! Stay in hut and tent, for you they're best! I'll be riding footloose, free, and far; And above my cap, many a star. He set the stars, that you may guide Your course, by land and sea; That you may take delight, beside, Looking up, steadily. West-East Djvan Talismans To God belongs the Orient! To God belongs the Occident! The Northern and the Southern lands, Resting, tranquil, in His hands. He, the Righteous, in His height Wants, for everyone, what's right. By His names, all hundred, then, Lauded be the Lord! Amen. Straying aims to faze the mind, Yet from error You unbind. When I act, when I indite, Lord, direct my steps aright. Ev'n when I think of worldly things I gain a height with mind-quick wings. The spirit earthly dust won't pulverize: It's driving, driven, upward to the skies. Two graces of competing kinds One in the feat of breathing fInds. Pressured, breathe in; breathe out refreshed: How well is life-strength intermeshed! So thank the Lord when you are stressed, And thank Him when He grants you rest. - 5 - , A:1ARTIN BTDN.EY 6. Four Gifts of Grace That Arabs might traverse a wide Terrain in happiness, Four gracious aids the Lord applied, The common gain to bless. The turban, ftrst, will ftnely show - No kingly crown compare; A tent, to carry when you go - F or living everywhere; A sword, that better will defend Than cliff and lofty wall; A helpful song to thrill a friend, A maiden to enthrall. I'll write a song about the flow'rs Upon her fragrant shawl; She knows her captivating pow'rs And likes me most of all. Flowers and fruits I will for you On pleasant table set. You want some moral lessons, too? The freshest, you will get! Confession W'hat will resist being hid? A fIre! Daytime smoke will give it away, Flames at night, getting huge, climb higher. Further, what's harder to hide, I'd say, Is love. No matter how quiet kept, You'd see how light from the eyes outleapt. Hardest to hide is a poem you write; Folks don't put verse under bushels, right? A poet who's sung a song, fresh-made, Is filled with the notes that he knows won't fade. Soon as he's written it, nice and new, He wants for the world to like it, too. Reads it to everyone, loud, bright-eyed, W'hether we're tortured or edifIed. Elements W'hat have been the elements That authentic song have fed So the laymen love the sense, Craftsmen, too, are comforted? Love must be, above all things, Here the theme the lyric sings: W'hen it through our music rings, Better far the tune it flings. Then the glasses loud will clink, Sparkle rubies of the wine: Greeting all who love, or drink, Garlands beckon, wreaths entwine. Weapon-tones will be required And the trumpet bravely sound: Let, when joy's to flame inspired, Heroes be in triumph crowned. Hate, though, isn't justified: Poets empathy need give. What is ugly don't deride; This, like beauty, too, let live. Elements - these mighty four - Will the poet nobly mesh. Hafiz-like, his folk the more Firing up, he will refresh. Create and Enliven Jack Adam was an earthly clod That God a man would make, But certain things uncouth and odd From mother-womb he'd take. The Elorum into his nose The best of spirits blew, At which improved respect arose. He sneezed - and that was new.
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