2017-10-03

Cé hé féin?

Laxmanrao Sardessai (1904 -1986)
Cé hé féin, athraíonn páirtithe
Mar a athraíonn caimileon a dhath, grabhróga aráin
Á lorg aige ó na rialaitheoirí
Agus é ag seanmóireacht faoina bhfuil i ndán do Goa?
Tírghráthóir é an rógaire sin!


Cé hé féin
Agus cuma gheilitíneach air,
In airde ansin i gcónaí
Ar nós Gobharnóra ón am atá thart,
Agus súp á bhaint ag a anam
As brocamas na gcarn aoiligh,
É beo ar bhuanna a pháirtí
An pobal a scanraíonn é á sheachaint aige de shíor?
Polaiteoir tírghrách é siúd!

Cé hé siúd, é ag caint ar an sóisialachas,
Ag teacht i dtír ar na hoibrithe sna mianaigh aige
Agus a thuilleann in aon lá amháin
Níos mó ná mar a thuilleann na hoibrithe go léir in aghaidh na bliana?
Is sóisialaí é siúd!




Cé hé siúd agus é ag caint ar shaoltacht
Agus é lán de ghothaí
A mhaslaíonn
A dheartháireacha Críostaí?
Daonlathaí saolta é siúd!

Cé hé siúd agus é ag caint
Leis an bpobal is leis na gnáthdhaoine
Nach bhféachann riamh orthu
Agus a chaitheann a chuid ama i mbun siamsaíochta le toscaireachtaí?
Ceannasaí an pháirtí é siúd, a léitheoir!

Ce hé siúd, an t-ainbhiosán,
Ag spraoi le paisin pholaitíochta,
Is le pobaldachas fiú is córas na sainaicmí,
Is fanaiceacht chreidimh,
Agus a íslíonn a mhuintir féin?

Sin é an tabharthóir is mó atá agat, a chara,
Agus le himeascadh is gearr go mbronnfaidh sé
Na flaithis orainn!

 

Who is That?

- Who is that, changing parties
   Like a chameleon changes color, begging
   The rulers for breadcrumbs
   And philosophizing about Goa's destiny?
– That scoundrel is a patriot!

– Who is that, with
   A gelatinous expression,
   Always hanging over us
   Like a Governor from the old days,
   While his spirit delights
   In the filth of dung heaps,
   And who subsists on his party's glories
   And always fears and avoids the people?
– That is a patriotic politician!

– Who is that, who speaks of socialism
   And exploits those who work in his mines
   And earns, in one day,
   More than all the workers do in a year?
– That is a socialist!

– Who is that, who speaks and gestures
   When dealing with secularism
   And throws buckets of insults
   Over his Christian brothers?
– That is a secular democrat!

– Who is that, who while speaking to
   The people and the masses
   Never looks at them
   And spends his time entertaining delegations?
– That is your party's chief, reader!

– Who is that, who, being ignorant,
   In politics plays with passions,
   And even communalism and the caste system,
   And religious fanaticism,
   And degrades his people?

– That, friend, is your greatest benefactor
   And with integration, he will soon
   Be the bearer of paradise!

(D. A. Smith a chuir Béarla air)