Glantóir Sráide
"A ghlantóir sráide, tá rud éigin fútsa
a chuireann isteach orm. Ag siúl na sráideanna duit,
an ní nach bhfuil caillte agat á lorg agat.
Ní thiocfaidh tú ar a leithéid sin go deo!"
Freagraíonn an glantóir mé: "Nach ait an diabhal rud é,
mura dtagaim ar an ní nach bhfuil caillte agam
éirím an-suaite ar fad!"
Ní thagtar ar aon ní, ní chailltear aon ní,
ní sa chaint ná sa tost é. Ní hé
seo ná siúd é, ach iad araon.
Attar (c.1145 -1221)
Street Cleaner
"Street cleaner! There's something about you
that I can't figure out. There you go, walking the streets
in search of something you haven't lost.
How are you supposed to find something of that nature?"
The cleaner says: 'It's devilishly odd,
If I can't find what I haven't lost
I become unbelievably upset!"
Nothing is ever found, nothing is ever lost,
it's neither in speech nor in silence. Not one thing
or another. But both.
