Amano Tadashi .* Vertaling van Engels in Afrikaans. Vert. deur Waldemar Gouws
Die filosoof
‘Doodgaan is ‘n eenvoudige saak’
sê die ou Chinees met die lang baard
‘as jy eers Taoïsme verstaan.’
Arme koulike ongetroude man wat ek is,
ja, ek stem saam, jy’s honderd persent reg.
Laat ek jou hand skud.
Indien dit winter was,
met ‘n goeie vuur wat in die stoof dreun,
en as ‘n opgeruimde vrou vir my
‘n tweede bak bredie geskep het,
sou ek met graagte wou filosofie praat,
met ‘n bespreking van Taoïsme en die dood.
Ja, ou maat,
ek sou dan jou hand geskud het.
***
The Philosopher
‘Dying’s a simple matter’
said the long-bearded old Chinese
‘once you understand Taoism.’
Poor chilly bachelor that I am,
yes, I agree, you’re absolutely right.
Let me shake you by the hand.
If it were winter,
a good fire blazing in the stove,
and if a cheerful wife were serving me
my second bowl of goulash,
then I should love to talk philosophy,
discussing Taoism and death.
Yes, mate,
I’d shake you by the hand then.
Uit: Guest, Harry and Guest, Lynn and Kajima Shôzô (eds. and trs.). 1972. Post-War Japanese Poetry. Harmondsworth: Penguin Books (pp.39-40).
*Amano Tadashi (1909-1993) was ‘n Japannese digter van Kioto.