no translation of
hadayiq e bakhshish can ever do justice to the original.
that said, anyone attempting to translate
hadayiq, needs to have some level of proficiency in the following areas.
1.
native skill of the language in which it is being translated. this is measured by the ability to read classical works of that language in both prose, poetry and non-fiction. if it is being translated in english, then one should be able to read literature termed as top of the line (ideally, should have read plenty of classical works). this not only helps one to appreciate the idiom, but also helps in using the mot-juste while expressing the original lines in the translated language.
examples of "top literature" includes top hundred lists that feature in publications - like the guardian's top 100:
Robert McCrum has reached a verdict on his selection of the 100 greatest novels written in English. Take a look at his list
www.theguardian.com
and the missing ones:
After Robert McCrum finished his two-year-long project compiling the best novels written in English, you had a lot to add. Here are the 15 books that received most votes to join the list
www.theguardian.com
(disclaimer: i have not read all the books in these lists; regardless, sharing this list does not mean endorsement)
for a mix of prose, poetry, biographies and non-fiction: the harvard five-foot bookshelf.
Free Volume Downloads
www.myharvardclassics.com
there is also a 20-volume follow-up harvard classics shelf of fiction: (i couldn't find the page where all 20 vols are catalogued. pdfs are found on archive.org)
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2.
native skill in the urdu language. it doesn't have to be one's mother tongue, but certainly requires an ability to read iqbal or ghalib. and one should have read plenty of urdu books written by native speakers of the 20th century. in fact, reading alahazrat's fatawa or the books of his contemporaries and students, especially stylish writers like sadru'l afadil helps one to understand the urdu idiom and style immensely. i have read and heard some authors and journalists whose mother tongue is not urdu, but write/speak beautiful urdu. one such journalist was shorish kashmiri (punjabi) and was affiliated with the ahrar movement (a deobandi offshoot).
there is no alternative to plenty of reading.
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3. a taste for poetry. this is natural for some people, but cultivated for most of us ordinary folks without a natural flair for poetry. if we keep reading poetry, we learn the turn of phrase, the implied meaning, sarcasm, irony and many other figures of speech. and if one does not have a natural talent, then one should develop by reading poetic works. i highly recommend budding translators to read the commentaries of prof. yusuf salim chishti on works of iqbal and ghalib. while he doesn't seem to be a sunni (maududi/devbandi inclination i think), his commentaries and translations are very good - especially for the liberal use of farsi phrases in works of both the poets.
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these are the basic skills. however, alahazrat being a superior poet and a creative genius, one needs to have more skills to unlock the higher levels of his poetry.
4. knowledge of
the qur'an: alahazrat uses phrases, idioms that are either direct translations of verses or they hint at a specific verse.
5. knowledge of
hadith: same as above.
6. knowledge of
farsi - plenty of farsi idioms, words
7. knowledge of
arabic - same as above
8.
historical information of the subject alahazrat speaks of (see manqibat umar raDi'Allahu anhu).
9. knowledge of
arabic grammar, poetry (again the above qasidah is a good example)
10.
vocabulary. if one has not internalised it, then one should have the ability to look up various lexicons.
11. knowledge of
idioms in urdu, farsi and arabic (each can count as one item, but i have clubbed here together)
12. knowledge of poetic devices, figures of speech, meters, prosody.
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i had once written a similar message to a couple of friends, but had decided not to post - as it would appear that i were claiming proficiency in the aforementioned list, while i obviously do not posses any of those skills. a flash in the pan or an explanation of a verse here and there that might appear profound should not be construed as expertise. i have listed out the items above according to my own (little) knowledge and understanding for beginners like myself.
feel free to discount or ignore my opinion above.
