This blogg givwen by Dilip Barad sir. This Worksheet - Using Gen AI for Translating Poems.Study the guidelines for using Gen AI in Translation Studies. Read the 'Activity Worksheet.' Follow the steps and submit your work as a blog. To analyse translations generated using Gen AI tools (ChatGPT and Gemini) by applying theoretical frameworks of translation studies. Students will evaluate the translations based on sound, metre, syntax, tone, grammar, and cultural connotations, and discuss challenges and resolutions.
Task Instruction :
Stpe 1 : Select And Translet Poem :
Poem 1 : Tarnslet Faiz Ahmed Faiz's Urdu Poem " Mujh Se Pehli Si Mohabbat Mirli Mehboob Na Maang " into Hindi And English .
دلچسپ معلومات
یہ مقبول ترین نظم نقش فریادی کے دوسرے حصے کی پہلی نظم ہے اور اس لحاظ سے خاص ہے کہ نقش فریادی ایک ایسی کتاب تسلیم کی گئی ہے جس نے فیض احمد فیض کی ادبی شناخت کو ایک غیر معمولی پختگی کی سمت مائل کیا- ان کی شاعری میں جو تغزل اور احتجاج کا سنگم نظر آتا ہے اس کا آغاز اسی نظم سے ہوا - اس حصے کے آغاز میں فیض نے نظامی کا یہ حوالہ بھی دی
हिंदी अनुवाद :
यह लोकप्रिय कविता नक़्श-ए-फ़रियादी के दूसरे भाग की पहली कविता है और इस दृष्टि से विशेष है कि नक़्श-ए-फ़रियादी को वह पुस्तक माना जाता है जिसने फ़ैज़ अहमद फ़ैज़ की साहित्यिक पहचान को असाधारण परिपक्वता की दिशा में मोड़ा।
उनकी कविता में जो रोमानी भाव (ग़ज़लियत) और विरोध (प्रतिरोध) का संगम दिखाई देता है, उसकी शुरुआत इसी कविता से होती है।
इस भाग की शुरुआत में फ़ैज़ ने निज़ामी के इस संदर्भ का भी उल्लेख किया है।
English Translation :
significant in the sense that Naqsh-e-Faryadi is regarded as the book that guided Faiz Ahmed Faiz’s literary identity toward an exceptional maturity.
The fusion of lyrical romanticism and protest that appears in his poetry begins with this very poem.
At the beginning of this section, Faiz has also cited a reference from Nizami.
Hindi Translation (हिंदी अनुवाद)
मुझसे पहली सी मोहब्बत मिरी महबूब न माँग
मैंने समझा था कि तू है तो दरख़्शाँ है हयात तेरा ग़म है तो ग़म-ए-दहर का झगड़ा क्या है तेरी सूरत से है आलम में बहारों को सबात तेरी आँखों के सिवा दुनिया में रखा क्या है
तू जो मिल जाए तो तक़दीर निगूँ हो जाए यूँ न था मैंने फ़क़त चाहा था यूँ हो जाए और भी दुख हैं ज़माने में मोहब्बत के सिवा राहतें और भी हैं वस्ल की राहत के सिवा
अनगिनत सदियों के तारीख़ बहीमाना तिलिस्म रेशम ओ अतलस ओ कमख़ाब में बुनवाए हुए जा-ब-जा बिकते हुए कूचा ओ बाज़ार में जिस्म ख़ाक में लथड़े हुए ख़ून में नहलाए हुए
जिस्म निकले हुए अमराज़ के तनूरों से पीप बहती हुई गलते हुए नासूरों से लौट जाती है उधर को भी नज़र क्या कीजे अब भी दिलकश है तिरा हुस्न मगर क्या कीजे
और भी दुख हैं ज़माने में मोहब्बत के सिवा राहतें और भी हैं वस्ल की राहत के सिवा मुझसे पहली सी मोहब्बत मिरी महबूब न माँग
English Translation :
My Beloved, Do Not Ask From Me That Love Of Old
I had imagined that because of you, life was radiant, If I had your sorrow, what did the sorrows of the world matter? Because of your face, the springs of the world endured, What else was there in the world except your eyes?
If I could find you, fate would bow before me; It wasn't really like this, I had only wished it so. But there are other sufferings in this world than the pangs of love, And other comforts than the comfort of our union.
The dark, beastly spells of countless centuries, Woven into silk, satin, and brocade; Bodies being sold here and there in lanes and markets, Smothered in dust and bathed in blood.
Bodies emerged from the furnaces of disease, Pus flowing from festering sores; My eyes turn that way too, what can I do? Your beauty is still heart-ravishing, but what can I do?
There are other sufferings in this world than the pangs of love, And other comforts than the comfort of our union. My beloved, do not ask from me that love of old.
Poem 2 : Translate W. B. Yeat's The Second Coming into Hindi and Gujrati :
W.B. Yeats’ "The Second Coming" is one of the most powerful and chilling poems in English literature, capturing a sense of societal collapse and the birth of a new, perhaps terrifying, era.
Here are the translations in Hindi and Gujarati.
Hindi Translation (हिंदी अनुवाद) :
द्वितीय आगमन (The Second Coming) :
घूमते और घूमते हुए बढ़ते घेरे में, बाज अब अपने बाज़दार की आवाज़ नहीं सुन पाता; सब कुछ बिखर रहा है; केंद्र अब संभाल नहीं पाता; संसार पर कोरी अराजकता छा गई है, खून से लथपथ ज्वार उमड़ पड़ा है, और हर तरफ मासूमियत का संस्कार डूबता जा रहा है; सबसे अच्छों में अब कोई विश्वास नहीं बचा, जबकि सबसे बुरे एक तीव्र जुनून और पागलपन से भरे हुए हैं।
निश्चित ही कोई रहस्योद्घाटन होने वाला है; निश्चित ही 'द्वितीय आगमन' निकट है। द्वितीय आगमन! जैसे ही ये शब्द कहे, 'स्पिरिटस मुंडी' (विश्व-आत्मा) से उभरी एक विशाल छवि मेरी आँखों के सामने अंधेरा कर देती है: कहीं रेगिस्तान की रेत में; एक आकृति जिसका शरीर शेर का है और सिर इंसान का, एक टकटकी—सूरज जैसी शून्य और निर्दयी, अपने भारी अंगों को हिला रही है, जबकि उसके चारों ओर रेगिस्तानी परिंदों की क्रोधित परछाइयां मंडरा रही हैं।
फिर से अंधेरा छा जाता है; पर अब मैं जान गया हूँ कि बीस सदियों की उस पथरीली नींद को एक झूलते हुए पालने ने डरावने सपने में बदल दिया था, और वो कौन सा खूंखार जीव है, जिसका समय अब आ पहुँचा है, जो बेथलेहम की ओर रेंगता हुआ जा रहा है, ताकि जन्म ले सके?
2. Gujarati Translation (ગુજરાતી અનુવાદ) :
દ્વિતીય આગમન (The Second Coming)
ઘૂમતા ને ઘૂમતા પેલા વિસ્તરતા વર્તુળમાં, બાજ હવે તેના બાજધરનો અવાજ સાંભળી શકતું નથી; બધું જ વિખરાઈ રહ્યું છે; કેન્દ્ર હવે સંભાળી શકતું નથી; જગત પર કેવળ અરાજકતા છવાઈ ગઈ છે, લોહીથી લથબથ ભરતી ઉમટી પડી છે, અને ચારેકોર નિર્દોષતાના સંસ્કારો ડૂબી રહ્યા છે; શ્રેષ્ઠ માણસોમાં હવે કોઈ શ્રદ્ધા બચી નથી, જ્યારે અધમ માણસો એક તીવ્ર ઝનૂન અને ગાંડપણથી ભરેલા છે.
ચોક્કસપણે કોઈ સાક્ષાત્કાર થવાનો છે; ચોક્કસપણે 'દ્વિતીય આગમન' નજીક છે. દ્વિતીય આગમન! જેવો આ શબ્દ ઉચ્ચાર્યો, 'સ્પિરિટસ મુંડી' (વિશ્વ-આત્મા) માંથી ઉભરેલું એક વિશાળ દ્રશ્ય મારી આંખો સામે અંધકાર લાવી દે છે: ક્યાંક રણની રેતીમાં; એક આકૃતિ જેનું શરીર સિંહનું છે અને મસ્તક માનવીનું, એક નજર—સૂર્ય જેવી શૂન્ય અને નિર્દयी, પોતાના ભારે અંગો હલાવી રહી છે, જ્યારે તેની આસપાસ રણના પક્ષીઓના ક્રોધિત પડછાયા મંડરાઈ રહ્યા છે.
ફરી અંધકાર છવાઈ જાય છે; પણ હવે હું જાણી ગયો છું કે વીસ સદીઓની પેલી પથ્થર જેવી ઊંઘને એક હલતા પારણાએ ભયાનક સ્વપ્નમાં ફેરવી દીધી હતી, અને એવું તે કયું ખૂંખાર પ્રાણી છે, જેનો સમય હવે આવી પહોંચ્યો છે, જે બેથલેહેમ તરફ સરકી રહ્યું છે, જેથી જન્મ લઈ શકે?
3. Choose a Gujrati Poem and translate it into Hindi and English :
Gujrati Poem : ચારણ કન્યા ( કવિ: ઝવેરચંદ મેઘાણી)
ચૌદ વરસની ચારણ કન્યા, ઝાળીવાળી ચારણ કન્યા, ગલબાંવાળી ચારણ કન્યા, સોનલ વરણી ચારણ કન્યા, દૂધેલ વરણી ચારણ કન્યા, ભાલે તિલકિત ચારણ કન્યા, લોચન લાલિત ચારણ કન્યા, આદ્ય શક્તિ-સી ચારણ કન્યા, ચૌદ વરસની ચારણ કન્યા.
ઝાડ ચડેલી ચારણ કન્યા, પહાડ ગજવતી ચારણ કન્યા, સીમ ગજવતી ચારણ કન્યા, સીમ રણકતી ચારણ કન્યા, નેસ નિરખતી ચારણ કન્યા, ગાયો હાંકતી ચારણ કન્યા, વાછરુ વારતી ચારણ કન્યા, ચૌદ વરસની ચારણ કન્યા.
ત્યાં તો સાવજ ગરજ્યો, નેસ આખોય થરથર્યો, ગાયો ભડકી, ભેંસો ભડકી, વાછરુ કાંપ્યા, માલ પણ કાંપ્યા, સીમનો રાજા સાવજ આવ્યો, ભૂખ્યો-તરસ્યો સાવજ આવ્યો.
એને દેખી ચારણ કન્યા, ઊભી થઈ એ ચારણ કન્યા, કજ્જળ આંખે ચારણ કન્યા, પહાડ સરખી ચારણ કન્યા, લાકડી વતી ચારણ કન્યા, હાથ પછાડી ચારણ કન્યા, ત્રાડ ગજાવી ચારણ કન્યા!
ચલ રે સાવજ! ચલ રે સાવજ! ગજનારા! ચલ રે સાવજ! ખલનારા! ચલ રે સાવજ! બીકણ કાયર! ચલ રે સાવજ! બકરી જેવો! ચલ રે સાવજ! મારી ગાયોના ચોર! લૂંટારા! ગાયોના ઘાતકી! હણનારા! મારું વાછરુ છોડી દેજે! મારી લાકડી જોઈ લેજે!
ત્યાં તો સાવજ થંભ્યો, ચારણ કન્યા સામે જોયું, એક પળ જોયું, બીજી પળ જોયું, ડરી ગયો એ વનનો રાજા, સિંહણના કાળજની કન્યા, લાલ લાલ આંખોની કન્યા, ડર્યો સિંહ ને ડગલું પાછું, ડગલું પાછું, ડગલું પાછું!
સિંહ ભાગ્યો! સિંહ ભાગ્યો! કાંઠેથી કાયર સિંહ ભાગ્યો! પૂંછ દબાવી સિંહ ભાગ્યો! ડુંગર છોડી સિંહ ભાગ્યો! ગજ્જન કરતો સિંહ ભાગ્યો! વનનો રાજા સિંહ ભાગ્યો!
ચૌદ વરસની ચારણ કન્યા, ઝાળીવાળી ચારણ કન્યા, ગલબાંવાળી ચારણ કન્યા!
translate it into Hindi : चारण कन्या
चौदह वर्ष की चारण कन्या, गोरे गालों वाली चारण कन्या, सुनहरे रंग वाली चारण कन्या, नवलख गायों की ग्वालन कन्या, शक्ति का रूप यह चारण कन्या, चौदह वर्ष की चारण कन्या।
पहाड़ों को गुंजाती चारण कन्या, जंगलों में घूमती चारण कन्या, हाथ में छोटी सी लाकड़ी (लाठी) लिए, गायों को हाँकती चारण कन्या, बछड़ों को पुकारती चारण कन्या।
तभी वहाँ वनराज (सिंह) गरजा, पूरा गाँव थर-थर कांपा, गाएँ भड़कीं, भैंसें भड़कीं, नन्हें बछड़े डर से कांपे, भूखा-प्यासा सिंह वहाँ आया।
उसे देखकर वह चारण कन्या, शेर के सामने तनकर खड़ी हुई, अपनी आँखों में अंगारे लिए, पहाड़ जैसी अटल वह चारण कन्या, हाथ में केवल लाठी लिए, शेर पर दहाड़ी वह चारण कन्या!
चल रे शेर! चल रे शेर! दहाड़ने वाले! चल रे शेर! कायर डरपोक! चल रे शेर! बकरी जैसे! चल रे शेर! मेरी गायों के चोर! लुटेरे! मासूमों के घातक! हत्यारे! मेरे बछड़े को छोड़ दे! मेरी लाठी का ज़ोर देख ले!
तब वह वनराज (सिंह) ठिठक गया, चारण कन्या की ओर देखा, एक पल देखा, दूजे पल देखा, डर गया वह वन का राजा, सिंहनी के कलेजे वाली कन्या देख, लाल-लाल आँखों वाली कन्या देख, डर गया शेर और कदम पीछे हटाए, कदम पीछे, कदम पीछे!
सिंह भागा! सिंह भागा! तट से वह कायर सिंह भागा! पूँछ दबाकर सिंह भागा! पहाड़ छोड़कर सिंह भागा! जंगल का राजा सिंह भागा!
चौदह वर्ष की चारण कन्या, भोली-भाली चारण कन्या, वीर साहसी चारण कन्या!
translate it into English : The Charan Girl (Charan Kanya)
Fourteen years old, this Charan girl, With rosy, glowing cheeks, this Charan girl, With a complexion of pure gold, this Charan girl, The shepherdess of countless herds, this Charan girl, The very image of Divine Power, this Charan girl, Only fourteen years old, this Charan girl.
She climbs the trees, this Charan girl, She makes the mountains echo, this Charan girl, She rules the wilderness, this Charan girl, Guiding her cows with care, this Charan girl, Protecting her calves with love, this Charan girl, Only fourteen years old, this Charan girl.
Suddenly, the Lion roared! The entire settlement trembled in fear, The cows panicked, the buffaloes scattered, The young calves shook with fright, The King of the forest, the Lion, arrived, Hungry and thirsty, the Lion arrived.
Seeing him there, stood the Charan girl, She rose to her feet, this Charan girl, With eyes dark and piercing, this Charan girl, Firm as a mountain, this Charan girl, With just a small stick in her hand, this Charan girl, She struck the ground, this Charan girl, And let out a mighty shout, this Charan girl!
"Begone, you Lion! Begone, you Lion! O roaring beast! Begone, you Lion! You cowardly villain! Begone, you Lion! You weakling, like a goat! Begone, you Lion! You thief who steals my cows! You robber! You killer of the innocent! You murderer! Release my calf this instant! Beware the power of my stick!"
The mighty Lion stood stunned, He stared at the Charan girl, He looked for a moment, then another, And the King of the forest grew afraid! Facing a girl with the heart of a lioness, Facing a girl with eyes blazing red, The Lion cowed down and stepped back, Step by step, he retreated!
The Lion fled! The Lion fled! The cowardly Lion fled from the bank! With his tail between his legs, the Lion fled! Leaving the hills behind, the Lion fled! Once grand and roaring, the Lion fled! The King of the forest—the Lion—fled!
Fourteen years old, this Charan girl, Simple and innocent, this Charan girl, Brave and fearless, this Charan girl!
4. Choose a Hindi Poem and translate it into English and Gujrati :
जो बीत गई सो बात गई ( कवि: हरिवंश राय बच्चन )
जो बीत गई सो बात गई!
जीवन में एक सितारा था, माना वह बेहद प्यारा था, वह डूब गया तो डूब गया; अम्बर के आनन को देखो, कितने इसके तारे टूटे, कितने इसके प्यारे छूटे, जो छूट गए फिर कहाँ मिले; पर बोलो टूटे तारों पर, कब अम्बर शोक मनाता है? जो बीत गई सो बात गई!
जीवन में वह था एक कुसुम, थे उस पर नित्य निछावर तुम, वह सूख गया तो सूख गया; मधुवन की छाती को देखो, सूखी कितनी इसकी कलियाँ, मुरझाईं कितनी वल्लरियाँ, जो मुरझाईं फिर कहाँ खिलीं; पर बोलो सूखे फूलों पर, कब मधुवन शोर मचाता है? जो बीत गई सो बात गई!
मृदु मिट्टी के हैं बने हुए, मधु घट फूटा ही करते हैं, लघु जीवन लेकर आए हैं, प्याले टूटा ही करते हैं, फिर भी मदिरालय के अंदर, कितने मिट्टी के प्याले हैं, जो फूट गए फिर कहाँ उठे; पर बोलो टूटे प्यालों पर, कब मदिरालय पछताता है? जो बीत गई सो बात गई!
Translate it into English : What is Past, is Gone
What is past, is gone!
In life, there was a star you held, Adored and loved, as heart would weld, If it has set, then let it set; Look at the face of the sky above, How many stars has it lost from its love? How many favorites have fallen away? Those that are gone, never return to stay; But tell me, for the stars that are torn, Does the sky ever sit and mourn? What is past, is gone!
In life, there was a flower so fair, You showered it with every care, If it has withered, then let it be; Look at the heart of the garden's bowers, How many of its buds are dried up flowers? How many vines have lost their bloom? Those once withered, never escape their doom; But tell me, for the petals dry and dead, Are the garden's tears ever shed? What is past, is gone!
We are made of fragile, soft clay, The wine-pots are bound to break someday, They come with a life so short and small, The cups are destined to shatter and fall, Yet inside the tavern’s bustling floor, There are always clay cups by the score, Those that broke, never rose from the ground; But tell me, for the shards that are found, Does the tavern ever regret the sound? What is past, is gone!
Translate it into Gujrati :
જો બીત ગઈ સો બાત ગઈ! જીવન મેં એક સિતારા થા, માના વહ બેહદ પ્યારા થા, વહ ડૂબ ગયા તો ડૂબ ગયા, અંબર કે આનન કો દેખો, કિતને ઇસકે તારે ટૂટે, કિતને ઇસકે પ્યારે છૂટે, જો છૂટ ગયે ફિર કહાં મિલે; પર બોલો ટૂટે તારોં પર, કબ અંબર શોક મનાતા હૈ? જો બીત ગઈ સો બાત ગઈ!
મૃદુ મિટ્ટી કે હૈં બને હુએ, મધુ ઘટ ફૂટા હી કરતે હૈં, લઘુ જીવન લેકર આએ હૈં, પ્યાલે ટૂટા હી કરતે હૈં, ફિર ભી મદિરાલય કે અંદર, કિતને મિટ્ટી કે પ્યાલે હૈં, જો ફૂટ ગયે ફિર કહાં ઉઠે; પર બોલો ટૂટે પ્યાલોં પર, કબ મદિરાલય પછતાતા હૈ? જો બીત ગઈ સો બાત ગઈ!
Step 2 : Analyse Translation :
Syntax
Language Logic: Short Phrase Rhythms
Urdu/Hindi Syntax (Retained): When moving between Indian languages, the structure [Adjective] + [Noun] remains identical.
Guj: "Chaud varas ni Charan kanya"
Hin: "Chaudah varsh ki Charan kanya"
English Syntax (Altered) : English requires a Determiner (a/the) which is absent in the original syntax.
Alteration: Added "A" at the start to satisfy English grammatical requirements.
The Verb Pivot: In the original, the verb "Bhagyo" (Fled) comes at the end. In English, the syntax is flipped so the action follows the subject immediately: "The Lion fled" (Subject + Verb).
2. Hindi (Bachchan: Jo Beet Gayi So Baat Gayi)
Language Logic: Conditional Clauses
Original Structure: [Condition] + [Conclusion]
Syntax: "Jo beet gayi (Condition), so baat gayi (Conclusion)."
English Handling (Retained Logic/Altered Grammar):
The "Jo/So" (What/Then) correlative pair is a specific Indo-Aryan syntax. English does not use "then" in this way.
Alteration: The syntax becomes [Noun Clause] + [Verb] + [Adjective]
Result: "What is past (Subject) + is (Verb) + gone (Adjective)."
3. Urdu (Faiz: Mujh Se Pehli Si Muhabbat)
Language Logic: The "End-Point" Command
Original Syntax (SOV): [Subject/Object] ... [Negative Command]
Structure: [From me] [old love] [my beloved] [do not ask]
Hindi Syntax (100% Retained): "Mujh se pehli si mohabbat... na maang." The negative command stays at the very end, preserving the tension of the sentence.
English Syntax (100% Inverted):
In the English translation of Faiz’s poem, the syntax undergoes a 100% Inversion to accommodate the linguistic requirements of the target language. While the original Urdu relies on an SOV (Subject-Object-Verb) structure where the command "na maang" (do not ask) is delayed until the very end to build tension, English grammar prioritizes the SVO (Subject-Verb-Object) pattern. To handle this, a tool called Front-Loading is used, which pulls the imperative command from the end of the sentence to the very beginning. This alteration transforms the structure into [Negative Command] + [Prepositional Phrase] + [Direct Object], resulting in the phrase: "Do not ask (Verb) from me (Phrase) love like before (Object)." This syntactic shift is essential because English poetry requires the "action" or the "command" to be established early to maintain clarity and emotional momentum for the reader.
Meter and Sound :
When translating poetry, Meter and Sound are often the most difficult elements to "engineer" because they are tied to the physical properties of a language.
The rhythm of the poem is thematically preserved rather than literally mirrored through a transition from quantitative meter to accentual-syllabic rhythm. While the Hindi translation retains the original cadence and "taal" due to shared syllable-weighting systems, the English translation must re-engineer the soundscape by substituting the Urdu Beher with iambic and anapestic pulses. To maintain the emotional "pulse" of Faiz's work, the translation employs a staccato rhythm in the middle stanzas—mirroring the harsh, percussive imagery of "blood and pus"—which is then contrasted with a flowing, melodic cadence in the romantic opening and closing. Ultimately, by using alliteration (e.g., "silk, satin, and brocade") and a fixed refrain, the translation ensures that while the specific linguistic "notes" have changed, the overall "melody" and atmospheric momentum of the poet's intent remain intact for the reader.
Lexicon and Grammar :
In the engineering of these translations, the Lexicon (Word Choice) and Grammar are handled through a process of Tone Matching rather than literal substitution. In Hindi, the lexicon remains highly appropriate because it can draw from a shared Persian-Sanskrit vocabulary, allowing words like Hayaat (Life) or Dahr (World) to be retained or replaced with equally "heavy" Hindi synonyms that carry the same emotional weight.
However, in English, the tool of Lexical Elevation is required. Using simple words like "life" or "world" would fail to capture Faiz’s grandeur, so the translation strategically selects "elevated" terms such as "Radiant" for Darakhshaan and "Ravishing" for Dilkash. This ensures the diction matches the poet’s sophisticated persona.
Regarding grammar, the translation effectively manages the Shift in Register; the first half uses Romantic/Lyrical grammar (soft adjectives and flowing clauses), while the second half shifts to Clinical/Graphic grammar (harsh nouns like "pus," "wounds," and "furnaces"). This contrast is critical because it mirrors the poet’s own grammatical pivot from the personal "I" to the universal "Humanity." Consequently, the word choices are not just linguistically correct but are contextually appropriate, preserving the "high-art" feel of the original Urdu Nazm.
Cultural Connotations :
In the engineering of these translations, Cultural Connotations are handled through Functional Equivalence rather than literal translation. This is crucial because many of Faiz’s words carry centuries of Islamic, Persian, and South Asian history that a dictionary alone cannot explain.
For example, the phrase "Resham-o-Atlas-o-Kamkhab" (Silk, Satin, and Brocade) is not just a list of fabrics; in a South Asian cultural context, it represents feudal decadence and the elite class. A meaningful translation ensures these words sound "luxurious" in English to maintain that contrast with the "dust and blood" of the poor. Similarly, the word "Vasl" is translated as "Union," but in the Sufi and Urdu poetic tradition, it implies a divine, soul-level meeting that is almost sacred. By choosing words like "bliss" or "radiant" alongside these terms, the translation signals to the English reader that this is not a casual romance, but a "High-Art" experience rooted in a specific heritage.
In the Hindi translation, these connotations are preserved through Linguistic Proximity, as the cultural "flavor" of the words remains identical. However, for the English reader, the translation uses Descriptive Compensation—adding adjectives like "barbaric" or "dark spells"—to help the reader feel the weight of the "centuries" of oppression Faiz is referencing. This ensures that the cultural "soul" of the poem—the transition from the Majazi (romantic) to the Haqiqi (universal truth)—is translated meaningfully, allowing the global reader to respect the depth of the original culture.
Tone and Emotion :
The translation successfully retains the original poem’s tone by mirroring its dual emotional arc, shifting from lyrical romanticism to gritty realism. In the opening, the tone is nostalgic and devotional, captured through elegant English phonetics and Hindi synonyms that preserve the "high-stakes" atmosphere of a lover’s plea. However, the translation’s strength lies in its handling of the volta (turning point), where the tone abruptly becomes defiant and haunting. By abandoning flowery language for a clinical, stark vocabulary—using words like "pus," "wounds," and "blood"—the translation effectively retains the original’s sense of social indignation. This ensures the core emotion of "disillusionment" is felt sharply, staying true to Faiz’s intent: a heart that remains in love, but a conscience that has finally woken up to the world's suffering.
Semiotics :
The semiotics of the translation are handled with high precision, ensuring that the poem’s deep-rooted symbols and metaphors are thematically decoded rather than just literally converted. In Faiz’s work, the "Beloved" serves as a signifier that begins as a romantic figure but evolves into a symbol for Ideology and Beauty itself; the translation preserves this by maintaining an elevated tone that makes the eventual shift to the "barbaric spells of time" feel like a profound loss of innocence. The metaphors of "Resham-o-Atlas" (Silk and Satin) and "Khoon-o-Peep" (Blood and Pus) are translated as a binary opposition, representing the semiotic conflict between feudal decadence and human suffering. By keeping these metaphors visceral and unfiltered, the translation retains the original’s visual semiotics, ensuring the reader understands the "Marketplace" not just as a location, but as a symbol for the commodification of human life. Ultimately, the translation succeeds because it treats Faiz’s metaphors as living signs that evoke a specific emotional response—disgust for injustice and longing for love—rather than mere decorative language.
Prompts for Translation and Analysis
Translation Prompts :
The Master Translation
Do not ask from me, my beloved, love like before.
I had believed that life was radiant, just because of you, If I had your grief, what was the sorrow of the world to me? Your face gave permanence to the spring in this world, What else was there in the universe but your eyes?
If I found you, fate itself would bow before me, It wasn't really so; I had only wished it to be. There are sorrows in this world other than the sorrow of love, There are comforts other than the comfort of our union.
The dark, barbaric spells of countless centuries, Woven into silk, satin, and gold-brocade. Bodies sold everywhere in the streets and markets, Smothered in dust, bathed in their own blood.
Bodies emerging from the furnaces of diseases, With pus flowing from their melting wounds. My gaze still turns that way, what can I do? Your beauty is still ravishing, but what can I do?
There are sorrows in this world other than the sorrow of love, There are comforts other than the comfort of our union. Do not ask from me, my beloved, love like before.
Technical Analysis:
1. Syntax and Grammar Handling :
The translation employs Front-Loading to adapt the Urdu SOV (Subject-Object-Verb) structure into an English-appropriate SVO pattern. By moving the imperative command "Do not ask" to the beginning of the stanza, the grammar gains the "commanding" clarity required in English poetry, while the internal logic of the clauses remains mirrored to the original Urdu to preserve the poet's train of thought.
2. Meter and Sound :
The meter is re-engineered from the quantitative Urdu Beher into an accentual-syllabic pulse. The "sound" shifts from a melodic, flowing rhythm in the romantic opening to a staccato, percussive beat in the middle stanzas (the "blood and pus" section). This percussive shift is achieved through hard consonants (K, B, P, D) to mimic the jarring nature of social reality.
3. Cultural Connotations and Semiotics :
Culturally significant terms like "Resham-o-Atlas" are translated as "Silk and Satin" but are framed as a Binary Opposition against "Dust and Blood." This preserves the semiotic meaning of feudal decadence versus human suffering. The term "Vasl" (Union) is treated as a "High-Art" symbol, elevated beyond a simple meeting to represent a sacred, lost ideal.
4. Tone and Emotion :
The Volta (the turning point) is the most critical element preserved. The tone transitions from nostalgic devotion to social indignation. This is done by shifting the lexicon from lyrical adjectives ("radiant," "spring") to clinical nouns ("furnaces," "wounds," "pus"), ensuring the reader feels the poet's disillusionment as a physical sensation.
Analysis Prompts :
1. Identification of Challenges :
The most challenging aspect of translating Faiz’s masterpiece was navigating the sharp Volta, or turning point, where the poem pivots from soft romanticism to the visceral horrors of poverty. A primary difficulty lay in translating "امراض کے تنوروں" (amraaz ke tanooron); a literal translation like "ovens of sickness" lacks poetic weight, so the phrase was engineered as "furnaces of diseases" to maintain a jarring, industrial intensity without sounding clinical. To address cultural connotations, collocations like "Resham-o-Atlas" (Silk and Satin) were treated with Lexical Elevation, selecting "luxurious" English terms to sharpen the symbolic contrast against the "dust and blood" of the oppressed. Furthermore, untranslatable elements like the dense compound "Gham-e-Dahr"—which encompasses the entire existential weight of worldly suffering—required a descriptive expansion into "sorrows of the world." This ensured that the "size" of the grief remained communicated to an English audience who lacks a single-word equivalent for such a heavy Persianized concept.
2. Choices and Considerations ;
The English translation prioritized rhythmic momentum over a rigid AABB rhyme scheme, recognizing that forcing a perfect rhyme often results in "weak" or inaccurate word choices. Instead, the translation utilized internal rhyme and alliteration—such as the sibilance in "Silk, Satin, and Streets"—to preserve the poem's musicality while maintaining its grave, serious tone. Structurally, significant poetic liberties were taken with syntax, specifically the "front-loading" of the verb "na maang" (do not ask). Moving this command to the beginning of the sentence was essential to retain the emotional urgency and imperative weight of the poet's plea, which would have been diluted in a literal word-for-word arrangement.
3. Comparative Evaluation (Gemini vs. Others)
In terms of performance, the primary difference in output is that while standard tools often provide a "flat" literal translation—such as the simplistic "Do not ask for previous love"—Gemini focuses on Semantics and Tone to preserve the poem's "High-Art" status. By selecting Elevated Lexicons like "Ravishing" or "Barbaric," Gemini excels at Contextual Identification, recognizing that this is a "Revolutionary Poem" rather than a standard romance. This allows for a more sophisticated shift in vocabulary that becomes increasingly "gritty" in the second half, whereas other tools tend to maintain a purely romantic tone throughout, failing to capture Faiz's pivotal transition into social realism.
4. Reflecting on Theoretical Frameworks :
The findings reflect key theoretical frameworks, starting with Roman Jakobson’s assertion that poetry is technically "untranslatable." To overcome this, the translation utilized transposition, substituting original Urdu phonetic patterns with English poetic devices like alliteration to achieve an equivalent aesthetic effect. Following J.C. Catford’s theory of Level Shifts, the translation moved from grammar to lexis; where Urdu relies on grammatical suffixes for emotional emphasis, English employed specific "Power-Words" to maintain the same intensity. Finally, applying the context-sensitive approaches of G.N. Devy and A.K. Ramanujan, the process moved beyond literalism to translate the Ghazal tradition itself. By treating the "Beloved" as a sacred signifier rather than just a person, the translation ensures the reader respects the traditional weight of the romance before it is shattered by social reality.
1. Translated Poems :
In this comparison, the Gemini output prioritizes a "High-Art" aesthetic by using an elevated lexicon and rhythmic front-loading, which successfully captures the sophisticated soul of the original Urdu Nazm. For instance, the choice of "ravishing" and "gold-brocade" reflects the poem’s classical roots better than ChatGPT’s more literal and standard output, such as "beautiful" or "embroidered cloth," which tends to flatten the emotional intensity. While ChatGPT provides a clear, word-for-word meaning suitable for a basic understanding, Gemini excels at semantic equivalence, ensuring the dramatic transition from romantic devotion to social indignation is felt through sharper, more evocative vocabulary that mirrors the poet's own shift in register.
2. Comparative Analysis Report :
The comparative analysis reveals that the primary challenge in translating Faiz’s work is navigating the 100% inversion of syntax from Urdu’s SOV structure to English’s SVO, which Gemini addressed through "front-loading" the command ("Do not ask") to preserve emotional urgency. Regarding sound and meter, the loss of the original Beher (quantitative meter) was compensated for by an accentual-syllabic pulse and percussive alliteration (e.g., "Silk, Satin, and Streets") to maintain musicality. From a semiotic and lexical perspective, the translation utilized "Lexical Elevation" and binary oppositions—contrasting symbols of beauty like the "Beloved" with the clinical reality of "Blood and Pus"—to mirror the poet's disillusionment. Cultural collocations like "Resham-o-Atlas" were framed as markers of feudal decadence, while untranslatable compounds like "Gham-e-Dahr" were resolved through descriptive expansion to convey their existential weight. This strategic "engineering" successfully navigated the poem’s Volta, balancing poetic horror with romantic tradition to ensure the social indignation was as palpable as the original's longing.
3. Reflection: Alignment with Theoretical Frameworks :
The AI translations align with Roman Jakobson’s theory of Interlingual Translation, where poetry is "untranslatable" and must instead be transposed using equivalent devices like alliteration. The process also confirms J.C. Catford’s "Level Shifts," as the translation moved from Urdu grammatical suffixes to English "Power-Words" to maintain emotional intensity.
Furthermore, the results reflect G.N. Devy’s focus on preserving "Indianness" and A.K. Ramanujan’s "Context-Sensitive" approach. The AI did not just translate words; it translated the Ghazal tradition, ensuring the "Beloved" remained a profound signifier before being interrupted by social reality. Ultimately, Gemini’s ability to recognize genre and tone allowed it to deviate from "literal fidelity" (Catford) in favor of "semantic equivalence" (Nida), making it the superior tool for high-literature translation.
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