{"id":13622,"date":"2025-02-15T17:27:27","date_gmt":"2025-02-15T22:27:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/nykcc.org\/?p=13622"},"modified":"2025-03-15T19:44:18","modified_gmt":"2025-03-15T23:44:18","slug":"goran-in-two-english-translations","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/nykcc.org\/oldsite\/goran-in-two-english-translations\/","title":{"rendered":"Goran in Two English Translations"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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Goran in Two English Translations <\/h1>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t
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by Dastan Galali<\/h3>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t
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\"ElderlyAbdulla Goran (1904-62) is considered the first Kurdish modernist poet. Known for his revolutionary poetic techniques, he was fluent in English and translated poetry from English into Kurdish Sorani. Goran was also significantly influenced by the English Romantic poets William Wordsworth, John Keats, Lord Byron, and Percy Bysshe Shelley.<\/p>

One year Goran was picnicking with friends in the Hawraman area, a Kurdish-populated region located in the south and east of Kurdistan. While he was there, he wrote a travelogue in poetic form, titled \u201c\u06af\u06d5\u0634\u062a \u0644\u06d5 \u0647\u06d5\u0648\u0631\u0627\u0645\u0627\u0646.\u201d The word \u06af\u06d5\u0634\u062a is translated as \u201ctour\u201d by Edmonds and \u201cJourneys\u201d by Omar and Cohen. A Kurdish dictionary shows that \u06af\u06d5\u0634\u062a means both “tour” and “journey,” but in this poem, it does not convey that meaning.\u00a0 it is best translated as \u201cPicnicking in Hawraman.\u201d Although the word \u0633\u06d5\u06cc\u0631\u0627\u0646 is commonly used to mean \u201cpicnicking,\u201d in poetry we cannot translate words literally\u2014we have to take into consideration the context of the poem and the message the poet wants to convey. A close reading shows that the poet was indeed picnicking there, and he himself stated that he was.<\/p>

The date of the travelogue is unknown, but it consists of ten poems, one of which is reproduced here.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

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\u062f\u06cc\u0645\u06d5\u0646\u06cc \u0695\u06ce\u06af\u0627 \u0648 \u0628\u0627\u0646<\/p>

\u06a9\u06c6\u0645\u06d5\u06b5\u06d5 \u0634\u0627\u062e\u06ce\u06a9 \u0633\u06d5\u062e\u062a \u0648 \u06af\u06d5\u0631\u062f\u0646 \u06a9\u06d5\u0634<\/p>

\u0626\u0627\u0633\u0645\u0627\u0646\u06cc \u0634\u06cc\u0646\u06cc \u06af\u0631\u062a\u06c6\u062a\u06d5 \u0628\u0627\u0648\u06d5\u0634\u061b<\/p>

\u0633\u06d5\u0631\u067e\u06c6\u0634\u06cc \u0644\u0648\u0648\u062a\u06a9\u06d5\u06cc \u0628\u06d5\u0641\u0631\u06cc \u0632\u06c6\u0631 \u0633\u067e\u06cc<\/p>

\u0628\u06d5 \u062f\u0627\u0631\u0633\u062a\u0627\u0646 \u0695\u06d5\u0634 \u0646\u0627\u0648\u062f\u06c6\u06b5\u06cc \u06a9\u067e\u06cc<\/p>

\u062c\u06c6\u06af\u06d5\u06cc \u0626\u0627\u0648\u06d5\u06a9\u0627\u0646 \u062a\u06cc\u0627\u06cc\u0627 \u0642\u06d5\u062a\u06cc\u0633 \u0645\u0627\u0648:<\/p>

\u0647\u06d5\u0631 \u0626\u06d5\u0695\u06c6\u0646 \u0646\u0627\u06a9\u06d5\u0646 \u067e\u06ce\u0686\u06cc \u0634\u0627\u062e \u062a\u06d5\u0648\u0627\u0648<\/p>

\u0647\u0627\u0648\u0627\u0631 \u0648 \u0647\u0627\u0698\u06d5\u06cc \u06a9\u06d5\u0641 \u0686\u06d5\u0695\u06ce\u0646\u06cc \u0686\u06d5\u0645<\/p>

\u0628\u06c6 \u062a\u06d5\u0646\u06cc\u0627\u06cc\u06cc \u0634\u06d5\u0648 \u0644\u0627\u06cc\u06d5\u0644\u0627\u06cc\u06d5\u06cc \u062e\u06d5\u0645!<\/p>

\u062a\u0648\u0648\u0644\u06d5\u0695\u06ce\u06cc \u0628\u0627\u0631\u06cc\u06a9\u060c \u062a\u0648\u0648\u0646\u0627\u0648\u062a\u0648\u0648\u0646 \u067e\u0634\u06a9\u0646<\/p>

\u0695\u06ce\u0628\u0648\u0627\u0631 \u0626\u06d5\u062e\u0627\u062a\u06d5 \u0626\u06d5\u0646\u062f\u06ce\u0634\u06d5\u06cc \u0628\u06ce \u0628\u0646<\/p>

\u0646\u0627\u0648 \u0695\u06ce\u06af\u0627 \u062a\u06d5\u0642 \u062a\u06d5\u0642\u060c \u0644\u0627\u0695\u06ce \u0628\u06d5\u0631\u062f\u06cc \u0632\u0644<\/p>

\u06a9\u06d5 \u0647\u06ce\u0634\u062a\u0627 \u06af\u06d5\u0631\u062f\u0648\u0648\u0646 \u067e\u06ce\u06cc \u0646\u06d5\u062f\u0627\u0648\u06d5 \u062a\u0644!<\/p>

\u06af\u0627 \u0633\u06d5\u0631\u06d5\u0648\u0698\u0648\u0648\u0631\u06d5\u060c \u06af\u0627 \u0633\u06d5\u0631\u06d5\u0648\u062e\u0648\u0627\u0631\u06d5<\/p>

\u062a\u0627\u06b5\u06cc \u0648 \u0634\u06cc\u0631\u06cc\u0646\u06cc\u06cc \u062f\u0646\u06cc\u0627\u06cc \u0695\u06ce\u0628\u0648\u0627\u0631\u06d5!<\/p>

Abdulla Goran. Diwani Goran <\/em>(Tehran: Paneez, 2014), 117.<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

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The poem was first translated in 1957 by the British diplomat Cecil J. Edmonds, who had spent time in south Kurdistan.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

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View of the Open Road<\/strong><\/p>

A mountain mass, wild and defiant,<\/p>

Has gathered blue heaven in its embrace;<\/p>

The mantle of its peak very white snow,<\/p>

Dark with forest its silent dales.<\/p>

Waters imprisoned in their runnels<\/p>

Flow on, nor cease their windings round the hills;<\/p>

The roar and hiss of foam, the shrill song of the brook,<\/p>

Lullabies for grief in the solitude of night.<\/p>

The narrow footpath, feeling its way from tunnel to tunnel,<\/p>

Throws the wayfarer into anxiety without end;<\/p>

On the track rocky stairways, on the side great boulders<\/p>

That heaven has not yet sent rolling down.<\/p>

Now it is up hill, now it is down hill,<\/p>

The bitter and sweet of the wayfarer’s world.<\/p>

\u00a0<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

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\u2014Cecil J. Edmonds, Kurds, Turks, and Arabs: <\/em><\/p>

Politics, Travel, and Research in North-eastern Iraq<\/em><\/p>

(London: Oxford University Press, 1957), 172.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

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A second translation was made in 2022 by Feryad Fazil Omar and Mitch Cohen:<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

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Landscape of Paths and Trails<\/strong><\/p>

A mountain range, wild and defiant,<\/p>

Holds the blue heavens in its arms.<\/p>

A headscarf of brilliant white snow swathes its peak,<\/p>

Dark are its forest in the canyons, so still.<\/p>

Waters, captive in their channels,<\/p>

Stream and twist forth around slopes.<\/p>

The roar and hiss of the foam,<\/p>

the yelling song of the brook,<\/p>

Lullabies of grief in the night of solitude.<\/p>

The wanderer makes his way on the narrow path<\/p>

from tunnel to tunnel in endless fear,<\/p>

The terraces resound on the stony paths,<\/p>

Boulders loom, threatening on the slope;<\/p>

The heavens have not yet set them tumbling down.<\/p>

Now the path ascends, now it descends,<\/p>

Bitterness and sweetness in the wanderer’s world.<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

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\u2014Feryad Fazil Omar and Mitch Cohen,<\/p>

Bleeding Rose <\/em>(Berlin: Institute of Kurdish Studies, 2022), 82.<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

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The title: \u201cLandscape of Paths and Trails\u201d is the better translation because the poet is not merely viewing the area but is actually examining its beauty.<\/p>

Line 3, the word \u0633\u06d5\u0631\u067e\u06c6\u0634 : Omar and Cohen translated it as \u201cheadscarf,\u201d but that is not quite accurate. The word \u201cmantle\u201d better conveys the meaning, as the mountain in Kurdish literature symbolizes strength and preeminence. Someone wearing a headscarf in those days would not have been considered powerful.<\/p>

Line 5, the word \u062c\u06c6\u06af\u06d5 : Omar and Cohen mistranslated it as \u201cchannels.\u201d The word \u201crunnel\u201d is more appropriate.<\/p>

Line 6, the word \u0634\u0627\u062e: Edmonds mistranslated it as \u201chills\u201d; it could better have been translated as \u201cslopes.\u201d<\/p>

Line 7, the phrase \u0647\u0627\u0648\u0627\u0631 \u0648 \u0647\u0627\u0698\u06d5\u06cc \u06a9\u06d5\u0641 \u0686\u06d5\u0695\u06ce\u0646\u06cc \u0686\u06d5\u0645: \u201cShrill song\u201d fits better than \u201cyelling song.\u201d<\/p>

Line 8, the phrase \u0628\u06c6 \u062a\u06d5\u0646\u06cc\u0627\u06cc\u06cc \u0634\u06d5\u0648 : The translation \u201cin the night of solitude\u201d is better than \u201cin the solitude of night.\u201d<\/p>

Line 10, the phrase \u0626\u06d5\u0646\u062f\u06ce\u0634\u06d5\u06cc \u0628\u06ce \u0628\u0646 : Edmonds translated it inaccurately as \u201canxiety without end\u201d; it should have been \u201cendless fear.\u201d<\/p>

The last line, the word \u0695\u06ce\u0628\u0648\u0627\u0631 : Edmonds translated it as \u201cwayfarer\u201d while Omar and Cohen used \u201cwanderer.\u201d The word \u201cwanderer\u201d implies someone who makes a spontaneous trip simply to enjoy the scenery, whereas \u201cwayfarer\u201d suggests someone who travels for more serious matters. Thus \u201cwanderer\u201d is the more accurate translation, as the poet\u2019s ultimate objective in this poem is to paint a picture of his picnicking for the reader to enjoy.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

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\"YoungDastan Galali is a literary translator and academic based in Hewl\u00ear.<\/i><\/div>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Goran in Two English Translations by Dastan Galali Abdulla Goran (1904-62) is considered the first Kurdish modernist poet. Known for his revolutionary poetic techniques, he was fluent in English and translated poetry from English into Kurdish Sorani. Goran was also significantly influenced by the English Romantic poets William Wordsworth, John Keats, Lord Byron, and Percy […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":13630,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"give_campaign_id":0,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[191,63],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-13622","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-culture-news","category-poetry"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/nykcc.org\/oldsite\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13622","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/nykcc.org\/oldsite\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/nykcc.org\/oldsite\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nykcc.org\/oldsite\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nykcc.org\/oldsite\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=13622"}],"version-history":[{"count":13,"href":"https:\/\/nykcc.org\/oldsite\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13622\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":13637,"href":"https:\/\/nykcc.org\/oldsite\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13622\/revisions\/13637"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nykcc.org\/oldsite\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/13630"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/nykcc.org\/oldsite\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=13622"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nykcc.org\/oldsite\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=13622"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nykcc.org\/oldsite\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=13622"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}