“হাঁড়িতে নুড়িপাথর ফুটছে”
আব্দুল
মাতিন ওয়াসিম
Wednesday 17 August 2022
আব্দুল মাতিন ওয়াসিমঃ "হাঁড়িতে নুড়িপাথর ফুটছে"
Monday 15 August 2022
Dr Md Badiur Rahman: Arabic Translations of the Works of Rabindranath Tagore
Arabic Translations of the Works of Rabindranath
Tagore
Dr Md Badiur Rahman[*]
In his introduction to Gitanjali, W.B. Yeats
referred to a doctor of medicine who had said about Rabindranath Tagore: “He is
as great in music as in poetry and his songs are sung from the west of India to
Burma wherever Bengali is spoken.”[1]
But when I see a large number of his poems, songs and literary works in Arabic
translations, I can say definitely that his songs and poems are all the more
overflowing in the Arabic speaking world also. Not only Gitanjali but
most of the poems, dramas, short stories, autobiography and memoir of Tagore
are now available in Arabic translations.
Arabic translations of the Gitanjali and some
of Tagore’s poems are found in (1) Aghānin wa Ash‘ār [2]
(2) Min Rawāʼiʻ ash-Shāʻir al-Hindī Tāghūr by Ḥāzim Nāẓim Faḍil
(3) Tāghūr wa Ᾱkharūn, Sūrah al-Hind by: ʻAdnān Baghjati[3]
(4) Rawāʼiʻu Tāghūr fī
ash-Shiʻr wa al-Masraḥ by: Badīʻ Haqqī[4]
(5) Hākadhā Ghannā Tāghūr by: Khalīfah
Md at-Tillīsī[5].
The autobiography of Rabindranath Tagore ‘Jibon smriti’ has been
translated by Ṣalāḥ Ṣalāḥ entitling Dhikrayātī[6].
Taghur: Shairul Hubbi was Salam by Shukri Md. Ibad (Cairo 1960) Several
articles of Sadhna have also been translated into Arabic e.g.(1)
Tāghūr al-Muʻallim al-Insān by Mīshāl Ūbri[7]
(2) Tāghūr al-Jānib al-Īmāni by Suhailah al-Ḥusainī[8],
(3) Diyānah ash-Shāʻir by Mūsā al-Khūrī[9],
(4) Tāghūr: Failasūf al- Hind wa Ḥakīmuhā by Najīb Ẓabi[10].
A large number of scholarly books and articles have been written in Arabic in different
Arabic speaking countries which can be seen by visiting several websites[11].
In India too, eminent scholars like Prof. Rahatullah of Calcutta University and
Dr. Harun al Rashid, ex-research scholar of English and Foreign Languages
University, Hyderabad, have made their Ph.D theses in Arabic by their
comparative studies on Rabindranath. All these reveal that Rabindranath Tagore
has always been a subject of interest to the Arabic speaking world and Arabists.
However in this paper, I like to restrict my talk
precisely on two Arabic translations of Gitanjali: Rawāʼiʻu Tāghūr fī ash-Shiʻr wa al-Masraḥ and Hākadhā Ghannā Tāghūr. In the
former: Rawāʼiʻu Tāghūr fī ash-Shiʻr wa al-Masraḥ (Wonders of Tagore in
Poetry and Drama), Dr Badīʻ Haqqī has made a beautiful Arabic translation of
all hundred three poems of Gitanjali. Besides it, this book contains
Arabic translations of 85 poems under the heading Janyu ath-Thimār (Fruits Gathering); translations of 85 poems
under the heading al-Bustānī (The Gardener); translations of 60 poems
under the heading al-Hilāl (The Crescent Moon) and two verse dramas: Dawrah
ar-Rabīʻ (Spring) and Shitra (Chitra). The last mentioned drama is
actually Chitrangada and not the poem Chitra[12].
This, Rawāʼiʻu Tāghūr was first published from Dar al-Malāīn,
Beirut in 1958 and this edition did not contain Dawrah ar-Rabīʻ. This
verse drama has been incorporated in the later edition of Rawāʼiʻu Tāghūr, which was published from
Damascus with a review by Dr Musṭafā Ḥabīb.
However Dr Badīʻ Haqqī has added an introduction of 41
pages to his Rawāʼiʻu Tāghūr,
discussing briefly the early days of Rabindranath and various other aspects of
his genius. Dr Haqqī has thrown light how child Rabindranath was influenced by
the spirituality of his father; what arrangement was made at home for his
education. He also mentioned Rabindranath’s first journey to Himalaya along
with his father. The purpose of the visit was imparting all-round education to
the child for which Badīʻ Haqqī said:
"لم يجتزئ أبوه بالدراسة النظرية، يزود بها ابنه، بل حرص على أن يفسح افاق معرفته بالتنقل والسفر فاستصحبه في رحلات كثيرة كان أبعدها أثرا في نفس الطفل النابه رحلته إلى جبال (الهماليا)".[13]
Badīʻ Haqqī has portrayed vividly how the child poet
was felt wretched and helpless at the death of his mother when nature alone was
resuscitated him to life from his utter despair and loneliness. From then
onwards, Tagore became a staunch lover of nature, Badīʻ Haqqī said quoting
Rabindranath:
"لقد كانت الطبيعة رفيقي الذي وجدته إلى جواري دائما".[14]
Badīʻ Haqqī has depicted a brief but comprehensive
early poetical life of the poet throwing light on his early poems ‘Aghānī
al-Masā (Evening Songs) and ‘Aghānī aṣ-Ṣabāḥ (Morning Songs) etc. In
the introduction of Rawāʼiʻ, besides the beauty of Rabindranath’s poems,
Badīʻ Haqqī has also discussed, though very briefly, Tagore’s dramas. For the
dramas, Haqqī opined that these are the true reflection of the mind and thought
of the great humanist and thinker. In Haqqī’s words:
"مسرحيات طاغور... تخطر فيها الصور والرموز والأفكار مسربلة بنبضات قلبه. وأتت كل مسرحية تحمل جانبا من رسالته الفكرية والإنسانية".[15]
I have another Arabic Gitanjali at my hand
which is translated by Khalīfah Md at-Tillīsī[16].
Tillīsī has written a very scholarly introduction in 31 pages to his book
entitled: Hākadhā Ghannā Tāghūr. Besides other exceptional literary
qualities and merits of Tagore, at-Tillīsī has admired him for his excellent
command over English and for exquisite and faithful rendering of Bengali
writings to English. at-Tillīsī said:
"وكان محظوظا في أن معرفته باللغة الإنجليزية قد هيأت له سبيل الكتابة فيها مباشرة، أو ترجمة أعماله بنفسه أو الإشراف عليها شخصيا مما جعل هذه الترجمات أصدق مطابقة للأصل".[17]
Poet Rabindranath is considered a true lover of nature
and a great humanist. His humanitarian outlook is very much praised by the
people of all religions. At-Tillīsī has rightly observed that whenever anyone
read Rabindranath, he feels very much akin to him whatever may be his personal
faith. At-Tillīsī said:
"ولكن أعظم صفاته حقا إنه كان شاعرا عظيما اتسع قلبه لكل القيم الإنسانية الرفيعة. فكان منه هذا الرمز الذي يعانقه المسيحي فيشعر له بقرابة المسيحية ويقرأه المسلم فيشعر له بقرابة الإسلام ويعانقه أي مؤمن بأي دين وعقيدة تعلي من شأن الإنسان".[18]
In the same way, Tagore’s philosophical and spiritual
outlook has also been highlighted by at-Tillīsī in the introduction to his
book. At the same time, he reminds us that Tagore’s spirituality does not speak
of inactivity and segregated and secluded life. At-Tillīsī has rightly observed that pessimism has no
place in Rabindranath on the contrary, he is the spokesman of hope and
aspiration, love and happiness; but the key of it is to be found in the
selfless service to the mankind after denouncing ego. To quote at-Tillīsī:
"وفكرة السرور لديه لا تتحقق من إشباع الرغبات والشهوات وإنما تقوم أصلا على الخروج من حصون الفردية وقلاع الأنانية إلى رحابة الإيثار وخدمة الغير".[19]
The lyrics of Tagore are full of subtlety, delicacies
of colour and metrical invention in simple diction. At-Tillīsī has said:
"فالظاهرة الكبرى في شعر طاغور هي البساطة. والدرس العظيم الذي يقدمه طاغور إلى الشعراء هو هذا المنهج الذي سلكه في التعبير النقي الشفاف".[20]
At-Tillīsī has critically discussed in his
introduction to Hākadhā Ghannā Tāghūr two pertinent questions: Rabindranath’s
role in the freedom fight of his country and his awareness about the western culture
and modernity. However this introduction of at-Tillīsī is very erudite and scholarly
which amply throws light on Tagore’s poetical, dramatic and artistic genius.
Now let me read out the third poem of Gitanjali
in English. Thereafter, I shall bring before you Arabic translation of the same
poem by two aforesaid translators of Gitanjali:
“I know not how
thou singest, my master!
I ever listen in
silent amazement.
The light of thy
music illumines the world.
The life breath of
thy music runs from sky to sky.
The holy stream of
thy music breaks through
All stony obstacles
and rushes on.
My heart longs to
joining thy song,
But vainly
struggles for a voice. I would speak, but speech breaks not into song, and I
cry out baffled. Ah! Thou hast made my heart captive
In the endless meshes of thy music, my master!”
Badīʻ Haqqī has translated the above poem into Arabic
in his Rawāʼiʻu Tāghūr in the following manner:
"أما
كيف يتردد الغناء في لهاثك، أيها المعلم، فذلك ما لا أعلمه البتة وما علي إلا أن
أصغي دوما في طرب صامت.
إن نور موسيقاك يضيئ الدنيا، ولهاث موسيقاك المفعم
بالحياة، يتسرب من سماء إلى سماء.
إن الموجة
المقدسة المنثالة من موسيقاك تعبر الحواجز الحجرية ثم تهدر ماضية مسرعة.
إن قلبي يتشوق إلى الاتصال بغنائك، ولكنه يجهد عبثا في
الوصول إلى الصوت، وأود أن أتكلم،
بيد أنه لا يتسق من كلامي أي أغنية، وأنتحب باكيا
مرتبكا.
آه أيها المعلم، لقد جعلت قلبي أسيرا في شباك موسيقاك التي لا نهاية لها".
However the same lyric has been translated into Arabic by at-Tillīsī in his Hākadhā Ghannā Tāghūr in the following manner:
"لست
أدري كيف تغني يا إلهي
إني أصغي إليك دوما في صمت ذاهل
إن نور موسيقاك يضيء الكون
وأنفاس أنغامك تجوب السماوات
إن أصغي إليك دوما في صمت ذاهل.
والموجة المقدسة لموسيقاك
تقتحم العوائق الصخرية
ثم تهدر ماضية كاسحة
إن القلب ليتطلع إلى التوحد بموسيقاك
ولكن عبثا أبحث عن صوت
أريد أن أتحدث
ولكن كلماتي لا تنصهر في أغنيات
أو صرخات عاجزة
لقد أسرت قلبي
بشباك موسيقاك غير المتناهية".
The differences in the style and the diction in the
above two Arabic renderings are quite evident though they are not far from the
original. Both translators have faithfully manifested the essence as well as the
spirit of the poem; still the difference in them is evident but it is quite
natural, that the translation of same poem is bound to be different in different
hands. When we read Rabindranath in Arabic we should be very careful and we
should read them with critical eye whether these translations are faithful or
not. In doing so it is advisable that, besides Tagore’s own English
translation, one should refer to his Bengali works also. It can be assumed that
many Arabic translations will come into light basing upon English translations
of Rabindranath himself or basing on Late Sisir Das but the incumbent rests
especially upon those who know Bengali as well as Arabic to translate the
untouched major portion of the writings of Tagore into Arabic.
However numerous translations of Rabindranath’s poems,
dramas, short stories, novels and his autobiography into Arabic as well as in
other languages of the world prove that Rabindranath was truly a timeless poet
of the whole world.
[Republished]
[*] Retired Professor & Former Head, Department of Arabic and Persian, University of Calcutta
[1] Vide: Introduction by W.B.Yeats, to
Gitanjali ( Song Offering),
Rabindranath
Tagore: A
Collection of Prose Translatins Made by the Author
from the Original
Bengali Manuscript,
UBSPD, 2003( Fifteenth Reprint, 2010) P.261.
[2] Al-Majma‘ ath-Thaqāfī, 1995
[3] Dār al-Ahālī,
[4]
[5] 1989
[6] Al-Majma‘ ath-Thaqāfī,
[7] Dār ar-rayḥānī li aṭ-Ṭabʻ wa an-Nashr, 1974
[8] Al-Hayʼah al-Miṣriyyah al-ʻᾹmmah li
al-kuttāb,
[9] Dār al-Ghirbāl, Damuscas, 1988
[10] Dār al-Hādī li aṭ-Ṭabʻ wa an-Nashr wa
at-Tawzīʻ, 2001
[11] e.g. :
http://www.moheet.com/show_news.aspx?nid=300720&pg=1
http://www.ibtesama.com/vb/showthread-t_39438.html
http://www.terezia.org/section.php?id=630
http://www.shathaaya.com/vb/showthread.php?t=30327
http://www.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/D5BFFD43-FD09-4396-943C-5CE7F4A343FD.htm
[12] Vide Rabindra
Rachanabali, 1402,Bishva-Bharati, vol. 2, p 213
[13] حقي،
بديع: روائع طاغور في الشعر والمسرح، ص.9
[14] نفس المصدر، ص.13
[15] نفس المصدر ، ص. 36
[16] Ad-Dār al-ʻArabiyyah li al-Kitāb,
[17] هكذا غنى طاغور، ص. 1
[18] نفس
المصدر، ص. 3
[19] نفس المصدر، ص. 12
[20] نفس المصدر، ص. 16
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