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József Attila: Humans (Emberek in English)

Portre of József Attila
Portre of Watkins, Vernon

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Emberek (Hungarian)

Családunkban a jó a jövevény.

Az érdek, mint a gazda, úgy igazgat, -

ezt érti rég, de ostobán, ki gazdag

s ma már sejteni kezdi sok szegény.

 

Kibomlik végül minden szövevény.

Csak öntudatlan falazunk a gaznak,

kik dölyffel hisszük magunkat igaznak.

A dallam nem változtat szövegén.

 

De énekelünk mind teli torokkal

s edzzük magunkat borokkal, porokkal,

ha kedvünk fanyar, szánk pedig üres.

 

Erényes lény, ki csalódni ügyes.

Úgy teli vagyunk apró, maró okkal,

mint szúnyoggal a susogó füzes.

 

1935. máj.



Uploaded byP. T.
Source of the quotationhttp://www.mek.oszk.hu

Humans (English)

In our family goodness is a guest.

Interest arranges all things like a host

Foolishly, but the rich were long aware

Of this, and now it dawns on most of the poor.

 

Every entanglement works loose at last.

While we are sure of our truth and hold it fast,

Our lives gloss over those with bad designs.

A change of setting does not change the lines.

 

Yet at the top of our voices we all sing,

Borne on the gusto wine and powders bring.

Mouth empty, our spirit sinks: we drain the vats.

 

He is best who, bearing disillusion, pauses.

We are as full of small and mordant causes

As the murmuring willow grove is full of gnats.



Uploaded byP. T.
Source of the quotationhttp://www.mathstat.dal.ca

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