The Bird Wounded
The Bird Wounded
English The Bird Wounded by an Arrow Deadly struck by a feathered arrow, A bird lamented his miserable fate, And said, while enduring an added pain: “Must one contribute to one’s own misfortune! Cruel humans! From our wings you draw The means to make those deadly machines fly! But do not mock, pitiless race: It often happens to you as it did to us. Of the children of Japetus, there will always be one half To furnish weapons to the other.” | Fon Xɛví é e ze gǎ do gblewu nǎ é Xɛví ɖé ɖo aluwɛ mɛ ɖó nǔ e jɛ dó wǔ tɔn é wú, Gǎ wɛ e ze do gble wu nî. É nɔ ɖɔ: “Wǔvɛ́ e mɔ wɛ è ɖe ɔ́ gɔ́ Nú wǔvɛ́ e é unɖesú nɔ́ gɔ́ ná ɔ́; Mɛɖé ɖó na ɖ’alɔ ɖò awěxomɛ éɖesunɔ tɔn mɛ à! Gbɛtɔ́ adakaxotɔ́ lɛ! Sín awa mǐtɔn lɛ mɛ wɛ mi nɔ dɔn Nǔ e è na zán dó bló bɔ macinu kúkú Tɔn enɛ lɛ zɔn yì jǐxwé é! Amɔ̌, mi ma ko nǔbláwǔkúnúmɛtɔ́ lɛ́ɛ ó; Hwɛhwɛ ɔ, nǔ e cí mǐtɔn ɖɔhun é nɔ jɛ dó jǐ towe. Ðò Japetu ví lɛ mɛ ɔ, hwebǐnu ɔ, vlɔɖówe Na na ahwanfunnú mɛ wegɔ ɔ. | French 1L’oiseau blessé d’une flèche Mortellement atteint d’une flèche empennée, Un oiseau déploroit sa triste destinée, Et disoit, en souffrant un surcroît de douleur: Faut-il contribuer à son propre malheur! Cruels humains! vous tirez de nos ailes De quoi faire voler ces machines mortelles! Mais ne vous moquez point, engeance sans pitié: Souvent il vous arrive un sort comme le nôtre. Des enfants de Japet toujours une moitié Fournira des armes à l’autre. | Yoruba Ẹyẹ ti a Fi ọfa ṣalọgbẹ Ẹyẹ kan n kerora ibanujẹ lori ayanmọ rẹ, Ti ọfa iku lu ni iyẹ apa rẹ. O wi, nigba ti o n farada irora ti a fi kun: Se dandan ni ki eniyan fi kun ipalara ti ẹnikan ni? Eyin eniyan buburu! Lati inu iyẹ apa wa lo ti ya ọna lati ṣe awọn ọfa iku to n fo! Ṣugbọn e ma ṣe fi wa ṣe erin, iran ti ko ni aanu: O n fi igba gbogbo ṣẹlẹ si ọ gẹgẹ bi o ti ṣẹlẹ si wa. Lati inu awọn ọmọ Japetusi, idaji nigbagbogbo Ni yio ma pese irin ija fun idaji keji. |
Notes
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David Achodo 