A 200-year-old, 1-2 decades before Victorian era, classic Thai poem I formal-verse-translated some years ago, admittedly in frustration at seeing a terrible distorted viral translation online.
I aimed to preserve
- form - basically must preserve Thai Klon 8 structure
- rhyme scheme
- stanza structure
- fidelity
- tone - the tone must fit the didactic context like the Thai original
- register - the language must fit the archaic language of the original Sundhorn Phu’s time
- meaning - this is the main part which motivated me to do it. The viral translation was atrocious at this.
The verses are part of พระอภัยมณี, one of Thailand’s literary classics.
- Thai
แล้วสอนว่าอย่าไว้ใจมนุษย์
มันแสนสุดลึกล้ำเหลือกำหนด
ถึงเถาวัลย์พันเกี่ยวที่เลี้ยวลด
ก็ไม่คดเหมือนหนึ่งในน้ำใจคน- Literal Modern Meaning
(the hermit) then teaches: Don't trust human
human's heart/mind/intent are unfathomably deep
Even entwined, sinuous vines
are not as crooked as part of humans' mind- Translation
So edifies the hermit, Be wary.
Lie buried within men be guiles and wiles.
Far more so than entwined, sinuous vines,
crooked and nigh unfathomable be men's true intents.
- Thai
มนุษย์นี้ที่รักอยู่สองสถาน
บิดามารดารักมักเป็นผล
ที่พึ่งหนึ่งพึ่งได้แต่กายตน
เกิดเป็นคนคิดเห็นจึงเจรจา- Literal Modern Meaning
Two humans love you
Father and mother's love are true.
The only dependable thing is your body
As a human, think before you speak- Translation
In two may one find harbour
pater and mater, whose love be sans pretense.
Naught doth uphold save one's own sense.
Orate naught, save whence aforethought.
- Thai
แม้ใครรักรักมั่งชังชังตอบ
ให้รอบคอบคิดอ่านนะหลานหนา
รู้สิ่งใดไม่สู้รู้วิชา
รู้รักษาตัวรอดเป็นยอดดี- Literal Modern Meaning
When loved, love back. When hated, hate back.
Be discreet in your judgment.
No knowledge is superior to knowing the skills
Best is knowing how to survive.- Translation
Cordiality, enmity, these return in kind.
Be discreet, mind, of what thou ought.
Beyond knowledge be skills which one had wrought.
Prudence be the most-sought of abilities.
Just something I dabbled in because I can be quite OCD about meaning and register fidelity. Literature is far from being my main interests.