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[SW Column] ( Axmed Ismaaciil Diiriye [Qaasin] Gabay Macaan iyo Qadhaadh  iyo tarjumadii Andrzejewski. :Posted on 31 May 2002

Macaan iyo Qadhaadh 

Axmed Ismaaciil Diiriye [Qaasin], 1965      

Dacartuba mar bay malab dhashaa, muudsataa dhabaqe;

Waxaan ahay macaan iyo qadhaadh, meel ku wada yaalle. 

Midigtaydiyo bidixdaydu waa, labo mataanoode;

Midi waa martida soora iyo, maato daadihise;

Midna waa middiyo xiirayiyo, mur iyo deebaaqe.

Masalooyin talantaalliyaan, maandhe leeyahaye;

Mar baan ahay muddeec camalsanoo, maagista aqoone;

Marna macangag laayaan ahoo, miiggan baan ahaye. 

Mar baan ahay muftiga reerkiyo, mudanow shiikhiiye;

Marna mukhawi waashoo khamriga, miista baan ahaye.

Mar baan ahay murtiyo baanisaba, madaxda reeraaye;

Oy weliba muuno iyo dulqaad, igu majeertaane;

Marna reer magaal loofaroon, muuqan baan ahaye. 

Mar baan ahay nin xaaran maqdac ah, marin jidiinkiise;

Marna tuug mu'diya baan ahoo, maal Rasuul bixine. 

Mar baan ahay maqaan awliyaad, maqaddinkoodiiye;

Marna mudanka shayddaanka iyo, maal jin baan ahaye. 

Mar baan ahay nin midabaynayoo, maalinbays roga'e;

Muuqaygu gelinkiiba waa, muunad gooniya'e;

Miisaanna ima saari karo, qof i maleeyaaye. 

Muslinkiyo gaalada dirkaba, waan micne aqaane

Malaa'iigta Naartiyo Jannada, waygu murantaaye. 

Mahadhooyin kala kaan ahoo, la igu maansheeyey

Maahmaahahaan soo dulmaray, doqoni waa mooge;

Ninkii maalmo badan soo jiraye, madaxu boosaystay

Ee inan rag miisaami jirey, wuu i maan garane. 

Nin kastaw halkii kula macaan ay, muhato laabtaadu

Ee aanad madadaaladeed, igala maarmaynnin

Iska soo mar waa kuu mubaax, marinkaad doonto'e!

---

 Bitter and Sweet 

translated by, B. W. Andrzejewski with  Sheila Andrzejewski, 1993

Consider the aloe - how bitter is its taste!

Yet sometimes there wells up a sap so sweet

That it seems like honey in your mouth.

Side by side the sweet and bitter run

Just as they do, my friends, in me,

As I switch from sweet to bitter

And back to sweet again.  

My two hands, right and left, are twins.

One twin gives food to strangers and to guests,

It sustains the weak and guides them.

But the other is a slashing, cutting knife -

As sharp to the taste as myrrh,

As bitter as the aloe. 

Do not suppose I am the kind of man

Who walks along one path, and that path only.

I go one way, and seem a reasonable man,

I provoke no one, I have the best of natures -

I go another, and I'm obstinate and bold,

Striking out at others without cause. 

Sometimes I seem a learned man of God

Who retreats in ascetic zeal to a seclude sanctuary -

I turn again and I'm a crazy libertine,

Sneakily snatching whatever I can get. 

I am counted as one of the elders of the clan,

Esteemed for my wisdom, tact and skill in argument,

But within me there dwells a mere townee, too -

A no-good layabout he is, at that. 

I'm a man whose gullet will allow no passage

For food that believers are forbidden to eat,

And yet I'm a pernicious, hardened thief -

The property of even the Prophet himself

Would not be safe from me.

I have my place among the holy saints,

I am one of the foremost of their leaders,

But at times I hold high rank in Satan's retinue,

And then my lords and masters are the jinns. 

It's no good trying to weigh me up -

I can't be balanced on a pair of scales.

From this day to that my very colour changes -

Nay, I'm a man whose aspect alters

As morning turns to evening

And back once more to morning. 

Muslims and infidels - I know their minds

And understand them through and through.

"He's ours!" the angels of Hell proclaim of me

"No, ours!" the angels of Heaven protest. 

I have, then, all these striking qualities

Which no one can ignore -

But who can really know my mind?

Only a grey-head who has lived for many days

And learned to measure what men are worth. 

And now, my friends, each man of you -

If either of the paths I follow

Takes your fancy and delights your heart,

Or even if you cannot bear to lose

The entertainment I provide,

Then come to me along the path -

You're free to make a choice!