My poems in Chinese translated by Christine Chen

The above was published in New York Newspaper’Compact News’ edition#880

本期汉译：佩英（Translated by Christine Chen）

阿扎姆·阿比多夫（Azam Abidov,笔名 A’zam Obid）乌兹别克斯坦诗人、翻译家，其创作游走于语言、文化与历史之间。他以乌兹别克语和英语写作，关注在社会与政治张力之下，声音、沉默以及表达的复杂性。他在乌兹别克斯坦创办了一个独立作家驻留机构。

我是泥土——
柔软而易碎
无唇舌
言说
人人都喜欢
用我塑形
捏成各种形状
我是泥土——
柔软而易碎
我总从
掌心流过
渗落……
渗落……

I Am Clay

I am clay –
Liquid and weak.
I have neither tongue
Nor mouth, to speak.
Everyone likes
To make some figure
From me,
To make a shape.
I am clay –
Liquid and weak.
I always go
Through palms.
I leak…
I leak…

真理面前

我无权
去指控、诅咒、抓挠，或杀死
一个人，或另一个人。
我此生所做
只是
取悦至高者——
并非取悦祂的笑
即使我能轻易抵达彼岸
也不会为任何人吹响告发的哨声
这世上
谁能无罪？
先知，能否能毫不汗颜
立于真理之前？

IN FRONT OF TRUTH

It’s not for me at all
To accuse, to curse, to scratch, or to kill
A man, a woman,
or whoever else,
My only job herein
Is to please Almighty –

Not to make him laugh!
If I easily reach the next world
I wouldn’t blow the whistle on someone.
Who in this world is free from the sins?
Can a prophet stand
Without sweating
And with his face bright
In front of Truth?

长舌

我们
奔向富国
送走丈夫或妻子
做苦工
或干脆出卖自身
本国有一群人
用寄回的钱
办盛大婚礼
唱幸福的歌
我们都为政府劳作
而政府的舌头
太长了

TOO LONG

We
strive to go to rich countries
send our husbands and wives
they do hard work
or sell themselves
The other people in this country
have luxurious weddings
from the sent money
and sing a song of happiness
We all work for government

不许诅咒的国

她的舌头被拔去——
真相，是她唯一的罪
没有反对者
没有前进的脚步
也无可追随的英雄
一群疲惫的行动者
在比划着团结
无人敢指名那位统治者——
他所摧毁的一切
皆是禁忌
对普通人而言
还剩下什么？
若不是权力所禁止的
就是权力所忽视的
访客只见表面——
（感谢上天）
“多么美丽的国家！”他们赞叹
也许这片土地
唯一还能做的事
是诅咒——
但她尚未学会
诅咒
她以为那是
世上最黑暗的罪

即便知道
诅咒也会
混入更喧嚣的合唱——
歌颂者的交响乐

The Nation Who Cannot Curse

Her tongue was torn out —
truth her only crime.
No opposition,
no marching feet,
no true heroes left to follow.

A circle of weary activists
mime solidarity.
No one dares name the sovereign
for all he has broken.
Taboo.
For the commoner —
what remains
that power has not forbidden,
nor ignored?
Visitors see only the surface —
(thank God).
“What a beautiful nation!” they exclaim.
Perhaps the only thing
this nation can still do
is curse —
but she has not learned
to curse,
believing it
the darkest sin
in the world.
And even if she knew,
the curse would mingle
with a louder choir —
the orchestra of panegyrists.