irodalom [2]

Poem by Sándor Petőfi
Petőfi "...A fiery patriot, a republican, and a revolutionary, on March 15 1848 he became the voice of the Hungarian National Uprising against the Habsburgs when he recited his rousing National Song (Talpra Magyar)" - the poem below

Rise up, Magyar, the country calls!
It's 'now or never' what fate befalls...
Shall we live as slaves or free men?
That's the question - choose your `Amen'!
God of Hungarians,
we swear unto Thee,
We swear unto Thee -
that slaves we shall no longer be!

For up till now we lived like slaves,
Damned lie our forefathers in their graves -
They who lived and died in freedom
Cannot rest in dusts of thraldom.
God of Hungarians,
we swear unto Thee,
We swear unto Thee -
that slaves we shall no longer be!

A coward and a lowly bastard
Is he, who dares not raise the standard -
He, whose wretched life is dearer
Than the country's sacred honor.
God of Hungarians
we swear unto Thee,
We swear unto Thee -
that slaves we shall no longer be!

Sabers outshine chains and fetters,
It's the sword that one's arm betters.
Yet we wear grim chains and shackles.
Swords, slash through the damned manacles!
God of Hungarians,
we swear unto Thee,
We swear unto Thee -
that slaves we shall no longer be!

Magyars' name will tell the story
Worthy of our erstwhile glory:
We must scrub off - fiercely cleansing
Centuries of shame condensing.
God of Hungarians
we swear unto Thee,
We swear unto Thee
that slaves we shall no longer be!

Where our grave-mounds bulge in grey earth
Grandsons kneel and say their prayers,
While in blessing words they mention
All our sainted names' ascension.
God of Hungarians,
we swear unto Thee,
We swear unto Thee -
that slaves we shall no longer be!

(Pest, March 13, 1848)

Megjegyzés: Translation by Adam Makkai