Nazim Hikmet

(1902, Salonica - June 3, 1963, Moscow)

DÜNYANIN EN TUHAF MAHLUKU

Akrep gibisin kardesim,
korkak bir karanlik içindesin akrep gibi. 
Serçe gibisin kardesim,
serçenin telasi içindesin.
Midye gibisin kardesim,
midye gibi kapali rahat.
Ve sönmüs bir yanardag agzi gibi 
korkunçsun, kardesim.

Bir degil,
        bes degil,
           yüz milyonlarlasin maalesef.
Koyun gibisin kardesim,
gocuklu celep kaldirinca sopasini
sürüye katiliverirsin hemen
ve adeta magrur, kosarsin salhaneye.

Dünyanin en tuhaf mahlukusun yani,
hani su derya icre olup
        deryayi bilmiyen baliktan da tuhaf.
Ve bu dünyada, bu zulüm
               senin sayende.
Ve açsak, yorgunsak, alkan içindeysek eger 
ve hala sarabimizi vermek
için üzüm gibi eziliyorsak
        kabahat senin,
       -demege de dilim varmiyor ama-
        kabahatin çogu senin, canim kardesim

NAZIM HIKMET

THE STRANGEST CREATURE ON EARTH

You're like a scorpion, my brother,
you live in cowardly darkness
    like a scorpion.
You're like a sparrow, my brother,
always in a sparrow's flutter.
You're like a clam, my brother,
closed like a clam, content,
And you're frightening, my brother,
like the mouth of an extinct volcano.

Not one,
     not five-
unfortunately, you number millions.
You're like a sheep, my brother:
     when the cloaked drover raises his stick,
       you quickly join the flock
and run, almost proudly, to the slaughterhouse.

I mean you're strangest creature on earth-
even stranger than the fish
       that couldn't see the ocean for the water.
And the oppression in this world
     is thanks to you.
And if we're hungry, tired, covered with blood,
and still being crushed like grapes for our wine,
the fault is yours-
I can hardly bring myself to say it,
but most of the fault, my dear brother, is yours.

    Nazim Hikmet - 1947