Thank you my teacher, Mr. Curt Peterson for your suggestion to
share this poem in English. Mr. Peterson was a famous Peace Corps volunteer in
Asmara in mid sixties. He was our Physics teacher who told us not to memorize
while studying. He speaks and writes Tigrigna well. How he learned this
difficult language during his four years stay in Asmara still surprises me. This
poem is quickly copied in his honor. መምህር ዓለም (ሳጒኡ ኢዩ) the teacher of the
world!!! እዚ ግጥሚ ንኽብርኻ ጽሒፈ ኣብ ፈይስቡክ (ምስለ-ደብተር) ብንፋስ (ኢንተርነት) ይሰደልካ ኣሎኹ። የቀንየለይ
መምህረይ።
So, for the benefit of the English -speaking friends, I am
submitting the English version of the poem translated by Professor Edward
Ullendorf in cooperation with Dr. Abraham Demoz who was also a scholar in
Semitic tongues. This historic poem was composed the day the first newspaper
issued.
*Pls. take a look that the newspaper is personified in a poetic
form.
“May Your Offering Be Accepted”
Our dear newspaper. Our first light; how do you
do?
However, much they may love you,
However much they may desire you;
even if they take you everywhere;
even if they regard you like light
and wave you about in every assembly;
and hoist you like a flag.
Humbly counsel your people.
Speak to them from your heart, I beg
you,
They will not fine you, will they?
You are free to speak- it is your
duty.
Advice and counsel them, I beg you.
Even some make you dirty and tear you
up,
and treat you with negligence,
They are your children and you are their
father.
They are your dignity and your
ornament,
unto them in your message.
But while they support you with
prayer,
you shall be of use to your people.
Through you we hear the news of the whole
world,
even books you have downgraded.
You dispense much peace, much
knowledge.
Where have you been heretofore?
You were a stranger to your people
with your fine letters and the language of the
forefathers.
What is that, thanks to you, cannot be
done?
You who brings good tidings in the
wilderness.
Don’t let your people remain like unploughed
land,
Let your message reach them.
Eritrean Weekly News, No. 12; 16 Nov.,
1942)
Source: Ullendorff, Edward (1977). Is Biblical Hebrew a
Language? Studies In Semitic Languages and Civilizations. Page
332.
