I’m Your Body
I’m Your Body
English Sonnet VII One sees every living thing die When its subtle soul departs from the body: I am the body, you the better part— Where then are you, O beloved soul? Do not leave me so long thus fainting: To come and save me after would be too late. Alas! Do not expose your body to such peril; Restore to it its valued and rightful share. But make it, my Friend, that this encounter And loving meeting be not dangerous, Attending it not with sternness, Not with harshness, but with gentle grace, Which softly may restore to me your beauty, Once cruel, now at last kind. | Fon Han kpɛvi VII Mǐ nɔ mɔ nǔ e ɖo gbɛ lɛ́ɛ bǐ ɖo kúkú wɛ; Hwenu e lindɔ̌n e ɖò hwlahwlá é na gosin agbaza ɔ mɛ é: Nyɛ wɛ nyí agbaza ɔ́, midɛɛ lɛ́ɛ wɛ nyí wǔjɔnú ɖagbe ɔ́. Fítɛ́ a ka ɖe hwenɛ́nu, lindɔ̌n vívɛ́ná ce? Ma jó mì dó bónú un nɔ xò nǔ kpɔ́n nú táan gegě ó: Bo na dó hwlɛn mì gán ɖò enɛ gudo ɔ, un na wá hwenu e é jɛxa dó é. Ée! Ma jó agbaza towe dó ɖo awovinú élɔ́ mɛ ó: Mi lɛ́vɔ ná ɛ akpáxwé tɔn e é ɖó sísí ná é kpódó vlɔɖówe tɔn kpó. Amɔ̌, xɔ́ntɔn ce, yí gbè nú kplé wanyiyi tɔn kpo Kplékplé enɛ kpo ni ma nyí awovinú ó, É nɔ xwedó è, é nɔ nyí kpo hlɔnhlɔn kpo ǎ, É nyí kpo hlɔnhlɔn kpo ǎ, loɔ, kpo fɛ́nú kpo wɛ, Bo nɔ lɛ́vɔ sɔ́ ɖɛkpɛ towe dó mì kpo xomɛfífá kpo, É nyí adakaxotɔ́ ɖ’ayǐ, àmɔ́ bo ká nɔ nyɔ́ ɖɛkpɛ dìn. | French 1Sonnet VII On voit mourir toute chose animée, Lors que du corps l’âme subtile part: Je suis le corps, toi la meilleure part: Où es-tu donc, ô âme bien aimée? Ne me laissez pas si longtemps pâmée: Pour me sauver après viendrais trop tard. Las ! Ne mets point ton corps en ce hasard: Rends-lui sa part et moitié estimée. Mais fais, Ami, que ne soit dangereuse Cette rencontre et revue amoureuse, L’accompagnant, non de sévérité, Non de rigueur, mais de grâce amiable, Qui doucement me rende ta beauté, Jadis cruelle, à présent favorable. | Yoruba Orin Kekere VII A n ri gbogbo ohun alaaye ku, Nigbati ẹmi rẹ to farasin jade kuro ni ara rẹ: Emi ni ara, iwo ni apakan to dara julo: Nibo ni iwo wa, ẹmi ayanfẹ mi? Ma fi mi silẹ pẹ titi iwọ ti n daku lọ: Lati wa gba mi ko di igba ti yoo pẹju. ó ṣeni láàánú! Má fi ara rẹ sí ewu bẹ́e: Da imoyi ati ipin Titọ rẹ pada sinu rẹ. Ṣugbọn ṣe, Ọrẹ mi, ki ipade yi má dá lara, Ati iranpada ifẹ yi má jẹ ewu, Ṣugbọn ṣe, Ọrẹ mi, ki ibapade yi ati ipade ifẹ yi ma jẹ ewu, Mase lọ sibẹ pẹlu onroro, ki ṣe pẹlu ikanra ṣugbọn pelu ore-ọfẹ jẹjẹ, Ti yoo ṣeṣe ko rọrun fun mi lati da ẹwa rẹ pada sọdọ mi, Tó jẹ́ aláìlera rí, ṣùgbọ́n nísinsin yìí dára sí mi. |
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By Louise Labé
David Achodo 