John O’Donohue. Vertaling in Afrikaans
Monday, November 30th, 2020
Versindaba kompetisie vir vertaalde gedigte (29)
John O’Donohue. Vertaling van Engels in Afrikaans. Vert. deur Elza Lorenz.
Toewensing
(vir Josy)
Vir die dag wat die las
op jou skouers versteen
en jy struikel,
mag die klei vir jou dans
as teenwig.
En as jou uitsig vries agter
die grys venster
en die gees van verlies
in jou insink,
mag ‘n trop wilde kleure –
dieppers, rooi, groen
en asuurblou –
kom om ‘n weiveld
van heerlikheid wakker te maak.
Wanneer die doek uitrafel
in die bootjie van denke
en die vlek oseaan
agter jou verdonker,
mag daar oor die waters
‘n voetpad goue maanlig
skyn om jou veilig tuis te bring.
Mag die aarde jou bly voed
mag die glans van die lig jou bybly
mag die voorvaders jou opbeur
en so ‘n lou wind
hierdie liefdeswoorde om jou spin –
‘n onsigbare mantel
om jou lewe te bewaar.
***
Beannacht / Blessing
(for Josy)
On the day when
the weight deadens
on your shoulders
and you stumble,
may the clay dance
to balance you.
And when your eyes
freeze behind
the grey window
and the ghost of loss
gets in to you,
may a flock of colours,
indigo, red, green,
and azure blue
come to awaken in you
a meadow of delight.
When the canvas frays
in the currach of thought
and a stain of ocean
blackens beneath you,
may there come across the waters
a path of yellow moonlight
to bring you safely home.
May the nourishment of the earth be yours,
may the clarity of light be yours,
may the fluency of the ocean be yours,
may the protection of the ancestors be yours.
And so may a slow
wind work these words
of love around you,
an invisible cloak
to mind your life.”
Bronverwysing:
O’Donohue, John. 1997. Anam Cara. e-boek. https/www.johnodonohue.com/store
HarperCollins. p. 11. Produced by permission of author’s Estate.
