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Kabul


Translation I
by Dr. Josephine Barry Davis

Ah! How beautiful is Kabul encircled by her arid mountains
And Rose, of the trails of thorns she envies
Her gusts of powdered soil, slightly sting my eyes
But I love her, for knowing and loving are born of this same dust

My song exhalts her dazzling tulips
And at the beauty of her trees, I blush
How sparkling the water flows from Pul-I-Mastaan!
May Allah protect such beauty from the evil eye of man!

Khizr chose the path to Kabul in order to reach Paradise
For her mountains brought him close to the delights of heaven
From the fort with sprawling walls, A Dragon of protection
Each stone is there more precious than the treasure of Shayagan

Every street of Kabul is enthralling to the eye
Through the bazaars, caravans of Egypt pass
One could not count the moons that shimmer on her roofs
And the thousand splendid suns that hide behind her walls

Her laughter of mornings has the gaiety of flowers
Her nights of darkness, the reflections of lustrous hair
Her melodious nightingales, with passion sing their songs
Ardent tunes, as leaves enflamed, cascading from their throats

And I, I sing in the gardens of Jahanara, of Sharbara
And even the trumpets of heaven envy their green pastures



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Translation II


Oh, the beautiful city of Kabul wears a rugged mountain skirt,
And The rose is jealous of its lash-like thorns.
The dust of Kabul's blowing soil smarts lightly in my eyes,
But I love her, for knowledge and love both come from her dust.

I sing bright praises to her colourful tulips,
The beauty of her trees makes me blush.
How sparkling the water flows from Pul-i-Mastaan!
May Allah protect such beauty from the evil eye of man!

Khizr chose Kabul to Paradise,
For her mountains brought him near to heaven's delights.
The fort's dragon-sprawling walls guard the city well,
Each brick is more precious than the treasure of Shayagan.

Every street in Kabul fascinates the eye.
In the bazaars, Egypt's caravans pass by.
No one can count the beauteous moons on her rooftops,
And hundreds of lovely suns hide behind her walls.

Her morning's laugh is as gay as flowers,
Her dark nights shine like beautiful hair.
Her tuneful nightingales sing with flame in their notes,
Fiery songs like burning leaves, fall from their throats.

I sing to the gardens, Jahanara and Sharbara.
Even the Tuba of Paradise is Jealous of their greenery.


Notes

We have found two translations of this poem and have posted them both here, there are some similiarities and some disimiliarities, they go to show how different translators present words and phrases in different ways.
The first translation is by by Dr. Josephine Barry Davis
the translator of the second is not known.

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Comments

  • Pari Ali
    March 5, 2005
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    Short History of Kabul : Kabul has existed for some 3,500 years. It is mentioned in the Rigveda (collection of Indian sacred hymns; c. 1500 BC), and Ptolemy, the Alexandrian astronomer, geographer, and mathematician, knew of it in the 2nd century AD. In the 13th century the Mongol invader Genghis Khan inflicted considerable damage on the city. Kabul was the capital (1504–26) of the Mughal dynasty, under Bābur, and it remained under Mughal rule until 1738, when Nādir Shah of Iran took it.
    Kabul is a blend of old and new buildings. Much of the old city has been torn down and rebuilt on modern lines. Kabul has many historical monuments, including the tombs of some of its rulers, and a number of gardens. Bābur's garden, including his tomb, is near the western extremity of the old city at the base of the Sherdawaza. Kabul's population is mainly Persian- (Dari-) speaking, although there is a large proportion of Pashtuns.

    As Mirza Saib had visited India in the time of the Mughal emperor Shahjehan who was famous as the Palace builder and as it had been under the Mughal empire for four generations before it is not hard to imagine that at the time Mirza Saib visited it it was a beautiful place. On his travels Mirza Saib had also visited Kashmir the beauty of which is undisputed even today. It is easy to concude that Mirza Saib was a traveller who reported in his poetry just what he saw. Also as it was on the major route between Iran and india it is easy to once again reach the conclusion that it was a place of culture.

  • Pierre Richards
    March 2, 2005
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    Kabul, one of many areas in the Arab world that has known so much violence, yet seemed for many centuries to spring back to its former glory in some degree. But even before the times of the Author, it had been sacked and ruined many times.
    The Poem does go to show how love of one's home and country can blind the viewer of many truths, and seen with the rose colored glasses of love.
    Wonderfully spoken here to give what Mirza Muhammed Ali Saib saw in their writer's eye.


  • March 2, 2005
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    if the poet to be reborn again ,and read his poem he will surely deny that he has return such words for the city of kabul.


  • GaryCGibson
    January 12, 2005
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    For some reason, the Khabul of the era of the poet seems more interesting than the Kabul of 2005.