Mihai Eminescu–My faith is not in Jehova

Mihai Eminescu does not need any introduction for Romanians, and by rights, it shouldn’t need any introduction for non-Romanians, either. I’ve hesitated to translate anything by him because, well, Corneliu M. Popescu has done a pretty good job of it before. Also, Eminescu is a cultural icon not to be taken lightly.

Also, he’s very difficult to translate.

This poem below is one of my (many) favorites; not to mention, it’s a fairly accurate reflection of my state of spirit of late. Here’s my crack at it (no comments this time):

EU NU CRED NICI ÎN IEHOVA de Mihai Eminescu Eu nu cred nici în Iehova, Nici în Buddha-Sakya-Muni, Nici în viaţă, nici în moarte, Nici în stingere ca unii. Visuri sunt şi unul ş’altul, Si tot una mi-este mie De-oiu trăi în veci pe lume, De-oiu muri în vecinicie. Toate – aceste taine sfinte Pentru om frânturi de limbã — În zădar gândeşti, căci gândul, Zãu, nimic în lume schimbã. Si fiindcă în nimica Eu nu cred—o, daţi-mi pace! Fac astfel cum mie-mi pare Si faceţi precum vã place. Nu mã ‘ncântaţi nici cu clasici, Nici cu stil curat şi antic — Toate-mi sunt de o potrivã, Eu rămân ce-am fost:—romantic.

MY FAITH IS NOT IN JEHOVAH by Mihai Eminescu My faith is not in Jehovah, Nor in Buddha-Sakya-Muni, Nor in life or death, not even In extinction, like some loony. All of them are but a dream, And it’s all the same to me Whether I will live forever, Or I’ll die for all eternity. All these many hallowed secrets Language crumbs and broken thought— Think about it all you want, for Thinking, sadly, changes naught. And because there’s really nothing I believe in, let me be! I will do as I will feel like, And you’ll do as you agree. You can’t try to sell me ‘classics’ Or a style that’s scrubbed pedantic, I don’t care for any of it— I will always stay romantic.