International Translation Day reminds us how words travel beyond borders.
This week, Slemani UNESCO City of Literature is joining hands with 13 other Cities of Literature to share poetry each day in three forms: the poet’s original language, English, and Kurdish.
Through this exchange, we celebrate not only literature itself, but also the bridges that translation builds between cultures and communities.
This poem is by Hilde Domin From Heidelberg UNESCO City of Literature:
Lieder zur Ermutigung
I.
Unsere Kissen sind naß
von den Tränen
verstörter Träume
Aber wieder steigt
aus unseren leeren
hilflosen Händen
die Taube auf.
English translation:
Translated by Marion Tauschwitz
Songs of encouragement
Our pillows are wet
from the tears
of distraught dreams
But again
out of our empty
helpless hands
the dove rises.
Kurdish translation:
شیعری (هیڵدە دۆمین) – ئەڵمانیا – مافی کۆپیکردن پارێزراوە گۆرانیەکانی هاندان سەرینەکانمان تەڕن بە فرمێسکی خەونە ژاکاوەکانمان. بەڵام دووبارە لە دەستە خاڵیی و بێچارەکانمانەوە کۆتر بڵند دەبێتەوە. |