Біреудің кісісі өлсе, қаралы –ол

Если умер близкий – скорбен человек

A man is clad in mourning, he is stricken,

He mourns the death of someone dear to him.

His heart is wounded, bleeding, yet he’s singing,

It is a mournful song, but still he sings.

A wedding’s on: all are excited, happy,

Or maybe it’s a gay match-making feast,

Or, say, a betashar* an ancient custom,

And songs make part of every one of them.

A son is born: a shildekhana s'”‘ given

To welcome him, and songs are sung again.

Our fathers’ proverbs and their sayings,

Aren’t they melodious and songful too?

A man is launched into the world with songs,

And there is singing when he’s laid at rest.

Thus, all the glad and sad events in life

Have songs to go with them. Why is it so?

But you, you cannot understand a song,

You do not care to sing, and if you did

You’d surely sing it wrong.But can a song

Be silent since your sort are deaf to it?

Just what is song? A harmony of sounds

Combined with smoothly flowing, well-matched words.

If it is sweet in tune and has good lyrics

There is no sense in questioning its worth.

All people who have vision will agree.

Not so a bloated ignorant, of course.

Still, mind the words that you would fain address

To even those who seem to understand.

Beware of ridicule and choose your audience:

The Kazakhs are not used to long recitals,

They will begin to whisper with each other

Or, even worse, they will fall fast asleep.

Do not expect reward, and if it’s offered

Don’t take it: for it cost you not a thing.

Make friends with people whom you can rely on,

And keep away from those who trade in song.

There’s Shortanbai, Bukhar-jirau, Dulat…

Their verse is patchy like a patchwork quilt.

How obvious their imperfections and their faults

To anyone who’s versed in poetry. . . .

I strive for polished verse and clarity,

My message I address to people’s hearts.

I want both old and young In realize

That poetry is not a pastime, but an art.

Translated by 0lga Shartse

* Betashar: lit. “removing the veil” or introducing the bride to her in-laws.—Ed.

** Shildekhana—a feast given to celebrate the birth of a child.—Ed.