Saturday, June 19, 2010

Badem - Kara Degil mi? Isn't that black? Turkish to English

Kara degil mi?


bana kara diyen dilber
gozlerin kara degil mi
yuzunu sevdiren gelin
kaslarin kara degil mi

beni kara diye yerme                                                                      
mevla'm yaratmis, hor gorme                                                                
ala goze siyah surme cekilir,
kara degil mi?

hint'ten, yemen'den cekilir
iner bagdad'a dokulur
turlu taama ekilir
biber de kara degil mi

illerde konup gocerler
lale sunbulu bicerler
agalar, beyler icerler
kahve de kara degil mi

Karac'oglan der, insallah
gorenler desin masallah
kara donlu beytullah
ortusu kara degil mi
*******
Isn't that black?

Charming lady who calls me black
Aren't your eyes black
Pretty faced bride
Aren't your brows black?

Don't condemn me for being black
My Lord created, don't despise me
The eyeliner that adorns the hazel eye
Isn't that black?

It's grinded in India and Yemen
Poured upon Baghdad
Sprinkled on a variety of food
Isn't pepper black too?

Camp in foreign lands and migrate
Harvest tulip and grains
Lords and sires drink it
Isn't coffee black too?

Karac'oglan (Black Boy) says God willing
Those who see should say praise God
God's house Kaaba covered in black
Isn't its garment black too?
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Turkish to English translation - Turkce Ingilizce ceviri tercume.
Comments on translation quality are welcome.
***
The poet is Karacaoğlan. He is a 17th century Turkish folk poet and ashik. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karacaoğlan
Badem is a Turkish group who made this into a song.
http://tr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Badem_(grup)
The song has a humorous style to it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SmI1xLCetY4
Kaaba is a temple built by Prophet Abraham (pbuh) (claimed by some to have been initially built by Prophet Adam (pbuh)) and is in Makka--a holy pilgrimage site. Muslims around the world face the direction of Kaaba when they're performing the 5 daily prayers.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kaaba
Picture: muslims praying around the Kaaba

Wednesday, June 16, 2010

Grup Yeniçağ - Ya Hayy - Turkish to English translation

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2_6HqDxwpkc


Bir gece kanatlandım 
Yükseldim semalara 
Anladım ve gördüm ki 
Her şeyde tek bir imza 
Ya Hayy 


Göz kırpan yıldızlar 
Anlatırlar her gece 
Fısıldarlar durmaksızın 
Sadece iki hece 
Ya Hayy 


Her baharda topraktan 
Uyanırlar sürur ile 
Kainat ilan eder 
Aşk ile iki hece 
Ya Hayy...
****
I took off one night
Ascended to the heavens
I understood and observed
only one signature on every being
Ya Hayy (O Eternal Owner and Source of Life, Life Giver, Absolute Living Being)


Twinkling stars
Every night tell us
They whisper ceaselessly
Only two syllables
Ya Hayy


Every spring from the earth
They wake up with joy
The universe proclaims
with love, two syllables,
Ya Hayy...

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Please comment on quality of translation/accurateness of English (if you're a native/native-like speaker). Thanks!
Turkish to English translation - Turkce Ingilizce ceviri tercume
***