Magin_Edward-thesis

248
We prayed (wished) night and day to grave and (prophet) Înis and evil spirit.
Şîn bibin nêrgiz ji nuve ber derê tekya berê.
May narcissuses grow new again before the door of the old places of worship.
cardin bixuînin ‘endelîb ew ji ‘şqa daberê.
Again may birds sing―that (song) from the love of the lover.
Lê belê, destê Xudanî ewe neqiqaşê qeder.
Yes, it’s in God’s hand; he’s the painter of fate.
Wî wesa fermanek dayî sutî ye li me ceger.
He gave an order like that; the liver in us has burned.
Şînyî u tazî ji gelî bûn çep u rast u jor u jêr. 15
There was mourning and condolence from the people, from the left to right
and up to down.
Şev u roj xelkî girî bûn kal u genc u jin u mêr.
Night and day people were crying, old and adolescent, women and men.
Mililetê Kurd pir wefaye; sufyên destên tene.
Kurdish people are so loyal; they are the Sufis of your hands.
Ruḧ ji êşan pir semaye ‘aşiq u mestên tene.
The pained soul is full of dancing; they are your lovers and stimulated ones (intoxicated
with strong emotion).
Erê, ey dil, kanê ew gul? Ka şemala geş u hil?
Yes, O heart, where’s that flower? Where’s the bright and lit (glowing) candle?
Buçî (adar) buye azar buçî bajar bu kavil 20
Why had March become pain? Why did the city become ruined?
Ka sîarê hilma mirnê? Kanê mîrê tirs nezan?
166 My translator for this poem translated the word cin as ‘elf.’ Dictionaries list cin as ‘demon’ or ‘evil
spirit.’ The translation of ‘elf,’ however, may be somewhat appropriate. Once when I was speaking about
cin with a neighbor in the town where I was living in Northern Iraq, he said that cin were not necessarily
good or evil, but they are creatures you cannot see that can cause trouble for people. Perhaps the term
‘mischieveous elf’ or ‘gremlin’ would be more appropriate a translation considering their worldview.