József Attila: Nem emel föl
Translated by Fórizs László, Christmas break, 1991.
Nobody will ever raise me
I have been sucked down into the mud.
A desparate orphan prays
to adopt me* as your son, oh God.
Oh, moulding form, hold me together
and in my needs help me not to cry
but endure the shame whenever
I’m forced to confess Thee or deny.
You know my heart I am a child
Don’t return my denial but seldom
let my soul not to be so blind
and allow it to see Thy kingdom.
You could avoid the hours of needs
when I took upon myself Thy torture
in the moats of the vale of tears
please, guard over me in my future.
Enjoin on them all to behave
toward me with a bit more kindness
Examine carefully my case
before I should sacrifice myself.
*Changed by Gergely Edit from „him” to „me”. /07.04.2023
