presents! ^__^

presents from Turkey from my friend ^__^
well except for the candle, 'twas just on the table and I used it for the composition ^__^

Not losing to rain ~ appealing to the pacifist in me

sometimes there happen things that change your life completely. today it wasn't one of them, but certainly I got something important that I will cherish

students from Tokai university came to FEFU to participate in a row of lectures and conferences. these aside, we also exchanged small presents. me and my friends received beautiful postcards - Ann took one with Autumn scenery full of red maple leaves, and Dasha chose the one with Yokohama night view. my eyes first fell on a picture of very expensive mushrooms, then I thought like taking something with Japanese nature, but then I noticed a white card with text

this is a short piece called 'Not losing to rain' by Miyazawa Kenji. shame on me, I knew nothing about him except for his name

this is the text as written on the card

雨にも負けず

風にも負けず
雪にも夏の暑さにも負けぬ

丈夫なカラダを持ち
欲はなく
決して怒らず
いつも静かに笑っている
一日に玄米四合と

味噌と少しの野菜を食べ
あらゆることを
自分を勘定に入れずに

よく見聞きしわかり
そして忘れず
野原の松の林の陰の

小さな茅葺き小屋にいて
東に病気の子供あれば　

行って看病してやり
西に疲れた母あれば　

行ってその稲の束を負い
南に死にそうな人あれば　

行って怖がらなくてもいいと言い
北にケンカや訴訟があれば　

つまらないからやめろと言い
日照りの時は涙を流し
寒さの夏はオロオロ歩き
みんなにデクノボーと呼ばれ
ほめられもせず
苦にもされず
そういうものに　

わたしはなりたい

and the translation I dared to make

not losing to the rain
not losing to the wind
not losing to the snow, or summer heat
having such a strong body
with no avarice
never getting angry
always smiling silently
every day eating only four bowls of brown rice
and miso and a little vegetables
everything
without interfering myself
watching, listening to and understanding
and never forgetting
living in the shadow of a pine forest in the field
in a small hut with thatch roof
be there an ill child in the East
going there and nursing him
be there a tired mother in the West
going there and carrying her bundle of rice
be there a person about to die in the South
going there and saying there is no need to be scared
be there a quarrel or litigation in the North
going there and saying to stop because it is worthless
crying when drought
walking flustered in cold summer
being called a good-for-nothing by everyone
not being praised
and not suffering
this is what
I want to become
_____

Wikipedia provides a more professional translation, probably, but I wanted to stress particularly what I consider important, therefore I made my own attempt to translate. this might as well lead to the lines which are not among my favourites being a little overshadowed...

there are points in this piece I can agree with only partially, such as the line №5, which can also be interpreted as 'having no desires' - as such, it doesn't sound right to me, so I replaced neutral 'desires' by more negative 'avarice'. I also wanted to use 'wrath' in the next line to make them two remind of the 7 sins, but 'wrath' as a noun just wouldn't fit... so I gave up

of course I also object to the idea of eating so little and especially to the line about not being appreciated - I have said already I am 'the type who makes progress when praised' 

what I really like in this 'poem' is the idea of 'watching, listening to and understanding and never forgetting', but even more I was impressed by the line 'be there a quarrel ... saying to stop because it is worthless'. the word which I took as 'worthless' can be translated differently, and this is important. the other meanings include 'boring/uninteresting', 'insignificant/unimportant/trifling', also 'absurd/foolish/silly' and 'pointless'. I do believe the choice of this word was not just random, but implies all of these nuances. and isn't this so very true? peaceful conflicts may have positive influence, but quarreling and fighting are worthless, so let's stop them...