An Old Poem - Poem & Translation - একটি পুরোনো কবিতা

একটি পুরোনো কবিতা 

- জীবনানন্দ দাশ 

আমরা মৃত্যুর দিকে জেগে উঠে দেখি 
চারিদিকে ছায়া ভরা ভিড় 
কুলোর বাতাসে উড়ে ক্ষুদের মতন 
পেয়ে যায়- পেয়ে যায়- অণুপরমাণুর শরীর 

একটি কি দু’টি মুখ- তাদের ভিতরে 
যদিও আমি দেখিনি কোনোদিন- তবুও বাতাসে 
প্রথম গার্গীর মতো- জানকীর মতো হয়ে ক্রমে 
অবশেষে বনলতা সেন হয়ে আসে।

Translation

We all awake in direction of death 
Hordes of shadows all over, at random. 
Which blow away with winds of winnows 
Realizes- attains mortal body made up of atoms. 

One or two faces among these hazy chaperons 
Though I've never seen-yet among gusts, 
Return firstly as Gargi* then as Janki* one by one. 
And finally attain the form of Banalata Sen and resurrects. 

By Jibanananda Das

© Translation in English by Deepankar Choudhury

THE WONDER

UNDERSTANDING "THE WONDER" IN ENGLISH 
Translation 

With the Sun & the stars the sky is sate, 

The earth too is virile, 

Amidst them I obtain, 

I embed my seat. 

So wondrously I evoke, 

I evoke my zephyr. 

Timelessly it wafts, 

As tides & ebbs the Universe waves, 

In nerved & in blood streams 

I felt its drag; 

So wondrously I evoke, 

I evoke my zephyr. 

On the way to woods, I tread on the grass; 

Surprised by the fragrance of flowers, 

Infused is the nous, 

Spreading a happy euphony; 

lent my ears, opened my eyes, 

on the bosom of the earth, I poured my psyche, 

from unknown among the known, I probe; 

So wondrously I evoke, 

I evoke my zephyr. 

© Translation in English by Deepankar Choudhury

Another version (more lyrical) is as under.

Skies are filled with sun and stars, earth filled with vigor 
I being the center of them, I realize my chair 
So wondrously I evoke, I evoke my zephyr 

Timelessly it wafts, as tides and ebbs the universe waves, 
In my veins and blood streams I felt its glamour 
So wondrously I evoke, I evoke my zephyr 

I tread on grass on my way to woods 
Fragrance of flowers surprise me, infused is the nous. 
Songs of happiness is spread everywhere 
So wondrously I evoke, I evoke my zephyr 

Lent my ears, opened my eyes, on bosom of earth I empty my vigor 
Within known I sought the ulterior 
So wondrously I evoke, I evoke my zephyr

© Translation in English by Deepankar Choudhury