As many of you know, I am studying Creative Writing at the University of Arizona and, in a nod to my heritage, I am learning Persian as a second language. This is my third semester learning Persian and, as part of the department’s end-of-year Persian showcase, my professor invited me to both translate a contemporary Iranian poem into English and learn the original poem in Persian. I then read my translation of the poem, followed by a recitation of the poem in Persian.
The showcase was a great success and I very much enjoyed reading both in English and in Persian. Because of how timeless the poem is and how poignant its message is even today, I hope you will enjoy this English translation of Sohrab Sepehri’s poem آب را گل نکنیم, or Let us not Muddy the Water.
Let us not Muddy the Water by Sohrab Sepehri
Let us not muddy the water
Downstream a pigeon is drinking water
In a faraway field, a goldfinch is washing her feathers
In the village downstream, a jar is filling.
Let us not muddy the water
This water flows to the foot of a poplar tree and
Washes sorrow from a grieving heart
The dervish dips dry bread in water.
A beautiful woman comes to the riverbank
Let us not muddy the water
Reflected in water, her beauty doubles.
What pleasant water!
How clear this river!
At the head of the river, the people are pure
May their springs be ever flowing
May their harvests be abundant.
I have yet to see their village
At the foot of their hedges is the footprint of God
There, moonlight illuminates the words of the people.
In the village upstream, the clay walls are short
The people know the poppy
Undoubtedly blue is blue.
A bud blooms. The people know
Oh, what a village!
May its garden alleys forever fill with music!
The people at the head of the river understand the water
They have not muddied it
Let us also keep the water clear.
About the Author
Sohrab Sepehri was born in Kashan, Iran in 1928. He is considered to be one of the most famous contemporary Iranian poets and is known for his style of using shorter sentences instead of the longer sentences found in traditional Persian poetry. The beauty of his poetry is seen through his evocation of nature and his use of tender, simple language, as well as his concern for humanity.
Photo by Deleece Cook